


Pragmatic Dreams

by thievinghippo



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-31
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2018-08-28 02:04:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 89,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8426662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thievinghippo/pseuds/thievinghippo
Summary: When Darth Marr's flagship is destroyed, the galaxy mourns the loss of a leader of the Jedi Order. And Lana Beniko mourns the loss of her lover. But when secrets are uncovered, Lana realizes that the only way to save the galaxy might just be to tear it apart, all for the woman she loves.





	1. Prologue: Structural Weakness

**Prologue: Structural Weakness**

At this this very moment, what Lana Beniko wanted more than anything in the galaxy, was a window.

She absolutely understood the practical reasons for the lack of windows in her office in the Citadel. The security risks alone wouldn’t be worth the headache. Someone might be able to peek a look at files at her desk. Or take advantage of the structural weakness and make an attempt on her life. A window would give the enemy an advantage, and she made it a goal to give as little information to enemies as possible. It was why her walls were painted a dull grey, and she took to wearing plainer armor at work, not wanting to leave a single clue about her life, not even that green was her favorite color. But what Lana would give to be able to stand up and look out over Dromund Kaas while she tried to figure out how to somehow salvage the Sith Empire.

Tea would have to be enough for now. At least it was a good blend, one of her discoveries from her time on Rishi. The planet might have been an outlaw’s haven, but stars, they knew how to brew a cup of tea.

Her personal holopad beeped, giving Lana a start. She expected no messages, and her immediate thought went to her mother here on Dromund Kaas. Ever since she took the post of Minister of Sith Intelligence, she had tried to convince her mother to leave the planet for their own safety. But Nara Beniko was stubborn, just like the daughter they raised, and refused to leave. Lana would simply have to hope that all the security precautions she provided would be enough to keep them alive.

But the message wasn’t from them at all. An encrypted message originating from the Republic waited for her. Not from Theron, as he always used the same subject line. So it could only be from one other person. Lana cursed her traitorous heart as it started beating faster. With a quick code, she opened the message.

_Received an invitation to Marr_ _’s flagship. Will you be there? - M_

Almost ten seconds passed as Lana stared at the message, memorizing the words and the holofrequency it came from. Five seconds later, thanks to a few swift keystrokes, her holopad had erased any trace that the message ever even existed. At least Maebry had the sense to send the message from an unmarked account without using her own name. Or, Lana thought with a smiling teasing the corner of her lips, the Jedi simply had Teeseven send the message. For a Jedi, Maebry was quite practical, a quality desperately lacking in the rest of her Order.

After placing the holopad back down on the desk, Lana leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She wanted to respond, desperately, but she would have to wait. Even without a window, Lana was under no illusion that she wasn’t constantly observed. She might check her office every hour for monitoring devices, but software was designed by people, and people were fallible. She refused to take anything for granted.

To anyone watching, she had already given away too much about this message. Just the fact that it arrived on her personal holopad and she took the time to read it without reports blaring in the background or while glancing at briefings, showed how important the message was to her. And it was very, very important.

Instead of doing the practical thing and moving onto the next emergency to handle - she did not like the reports coming in from Wild Space - Lana picked up her holopad again. After typing in a pass code, one changed daily, a two dimensional holo appeared. Months after Yavin 4 and she was still annoyed that she agreed to take the holo, citing security concerns. Yet she looked at it daily.

A simple holo just of Lana and Maebry standing next to each other. Maebry had tried to put her arm around Lana’s waist, but Lana refused. If anyone other than the two of them saw this holo, she wanted no story told. Even so, the genuine smile on Lana’s face as she stood next to her lover gave away enough. Little did she know that less than an hour after they took this holo, Darth Marr would elevate her to the head of Sith Intelligence.

And the head of Sith Intelligence simply couldn’t be entangled with a Jedi. Lana trusted no one knew of their dalliance besides Theron; he had teased her enough during their exile about being smitten. So what if she had been? Maebry was strong, principled, and willing to do the right thing. At least Lana was fairly confident that Theron wouldn’t say anything, not even to the SIS. Though she doubted she would be nearly as discreet if their positions had been reversed.

But here she was, being handed the perfect opportunity to see Maebry again. When Lana first received Marr’s summons, she turned him down, citing her schedule. Ever since Ziost, Lana tried not to leave Dromund Kaas. She had agents. She needed to trust them and learn how to delegate. Not even she could solve every single one of the galaxy’s problems at once.

But knowing Maebry would be there changed everything. All it would take was a single holocall to say she adjusted her schedule and would be joining them. Marr would welcome her advice, Lana was sure of it. Granted, with all the eyes and ears on Marr’s ship, even a lingering handshake with Maebry would be scrutinized. But to simply look at her again…

_Enough._

This was getting ridiculous. She was the head of Sith Intelligence, not some teenager with a crush. Maebry, with her dark skin and ridiculous purple heather hair - an indulgence, she’d said, to remind herself she was more than just a Jedi - could not be part of Lana’s life. Not anymore. It would make absolutely no sense to reschedule the next ten days of her life to make her way to Wild Space simply for the chance to look at the woman she-

With a touch of a button, Lana brought up the menu of her holopad and pressed delete. The time had come to get rid of this picture. Even with all her precautions, someone could still hack into her files. And if someone found this holo, her career would be over. Surely that was enough to warrant this act. Being Sith was _everything_ to Lana. While she might not embrace the dark side like some, she embraced the people of the Empire, and she would never stop working to keep them safe.

A holo wasn’t worth losing all of that. Besides, Lana had memories. She could remember the way Maebry’s hand fit in hers. Or the way their lips effortlessly pressed against each other when they kissed. Or the way she cried out as Lana tasted Maebry’s wetness on her tongue. Lana had a _very_ good memory.

**CONFIRM DELETE?**

Her finger hovered over the touchscreen and when she hesitated, Lana became furious with herself. Yet she could not make herself key in the command.

Stomach coiling in self-disgust, Lana slid the holopad to the end of her desk, not wanting to be near the cursed thing any longer. The moment it was further than two meters from her person, an alarm went off, and she had to jump up to grab it before the ten second self-destruct sequence started. Her heart started beating more quickly. She stored everything of importance to her in that holopad. She could not risk it like that again.

_Minister? You wanted an alert when the Wrath entered the Citadel._

“Thank you, Mister Kovach,” Lana said. Before her takeover of Intelligence, Rane Kovach had been Minder Seventeen. Now that Lana did away with all the subterfuge of naming and positions, he could be Kovach. And she could be Lana Beniko instead of the shadowy title of Minister of Sith Intelligence. She truly did not like titles.

Lana gathered her things, and mentally started preparing herself for her meeting with the Wrath, who wanted an update on Vitiate. Based on what they knew, the Wrath, a Sith Pureblood named Alida, could probably provide more information than Intelligence. The Wrath did serve the Emperor’s Hands, after all.

Slipping her personal holopad into the pocket of her trousers, Lana gave Maebry one last thought. Even though her heart desperately wanted to rearrange her schedule and meet her lover on Darth Marr’s ship, the simple truth was she had too many responsibilities. Perhaps in a few weeks, maybe, just maybe, Lana would send a message back, with the name of a cantina on Nar Shaddaa.

Until then, Lana had work to do.

#

Every console in the Intelligence briefing room lit up at once.

Lana’s agents and watches started speaking in panicked voices as fingers rapidly keyed in commands and messages. Something big had just occurred, that much was clear. Never once had she seen a transformation in the room like this. One moment, people were talking about the upcoming weekend, the next, everyone stared at their consoles and listened to messages.

 Lana stood in front of the main holoterminal, arms crossed over her chest and her back straight, and waited for someone to give her the report. These were her people, and they would take their cue from her. If she flailed around, demanding answers, they wouldn’t be nearly as efficient. So Lana waited patiently.

“Priority signal from Darth Imperius,” Ballen Haes, formerly Watcher Three, said with an urgency Lana didn’t like. He was one of her more steady operatives. If the news rattled him, that couldn’t bode well for anyone.  “Messages are coming in - Faster than I can sort them.”

“Reminds me of when the Dominator was shot to hell,” Rif Esten, Fixer Twelve said, wiping sweat from his brow. “Stars, I don’t want to go back to those days.”

“Bring up the signal from Darth Imperius,” Lana said, taking a breath. Darth Imperius, once known as Jakobus, was one of the Dark Council members Lana truly respected. The man seemingly had no end to his zeal for learning and discovering the lost secrets of the Sith. For a Rattataki to rise to the Dark Council like he did was a monumental feat.

_Lord Beniko._

Even in the busy control room of Sith Intelligence with everyone running around her, Lana took a breath and forced herself to stay still. “I take it you have news.”

Imperius nodded as he stood on the holoprojector. The Rattataki wore no facial jewelry and had no hint of any tribal markings. Lana wondered if he did away with all of those trappings so not to give any information away about himself, much like she tried to do.

_Darth Marr_ _’s flagship has been destroyed._

And just like that, Lana’s carefully constructed galaxy fell apart. Yet here she stood, formulating contingency plans in her head, trying to figure out how best to keep ahead of the upcoming power struggle - the Sith would be out for blood with Marr dead - instead of curling up into a ball and pretending the outside world no longer existed.

But she would know, wouldn’t she? She felt no ripple in the Force. Attuned as she was, Lana had no doubt that if Maebry was dead, she would feel her lover’s death through the connection they shared. Maebry couldn’t be dead, simple as that. Lana refused to allow it.

When she spoke, somehow her voice didn’t waver, didn’t betray a single ounce of emotion. “How? What happened?”

 _A fleet arrived and attacked. I believe they were the same ones that attacked Korriban. The Fury was just about to dock when the fighting started. We barely made it out in one piece._ Imperius looked off into the distance. _Revel, how soon until we reach Korriban?_ Imperius nodded and Lana waited while he turned his attention back to her. _I_ _’ll be on Korriban in five days. In that time, I’ll call the other members of the Dark Council. I expect hourly reports on what Intelligence learns._

“Of course, my Lord,” Lana said, mentally assigning agents to prepare the reports, one for reach Council member. None of her people would sleep tonight. “Is there anything else?”

 _Darth Marr will be avenged. You can count on that._ Imperius smiled, a dangerous one, one that reminded Lana that even with his slight stature, Imperius was not one to trifle with. 

“May the Force serve you well, my Lord,” Lana said right before the feed ended. Without thinking, she grabbed the rail in front of her. She wanted to scream, she wanted to lash out. It had happened _again._ Once more Intelligence let the Empire down and it was all her fault. She gave herself one moment to think of Maebry, then pushed thoughts of the Jedi to the side. This was absolutely not the time.

“Darmas,” Lana snapped, turning on her heel. A former cipher, Darmas Pollaran had been brought back to Imperial space in a prisoner trade with the Republic a year ago. His connections with the underworld were legendary, and she desperately needed those connections now.

“Yes, my Lord,” Darmas said at once, walking over to her side. She wanted to cringe at his Republic accent, reminding her too much of Maebry. Once, she had asked Darmas why he didn’t go back to an Imperial accent after coming back to the Empire. His answer had surprised her. Apparently he never had one.

“Those smugglers you’ve mentioned. The brother and sister willing to work either side? Get a hold of them.”

Scavengers from all over the galaxy would be swarming Darth Marr’s flagship within hours. Lana needed someone objective, and in a matter as sensitive as this, she didn’t trust the military. Too many Moffs and would-be Moffs would use this as an opportunity to expand their own power base as opposed to the good of the Empire. Smugglers, Lana had learned over the years, wouldn’t care what they found out, as long as they were paid. Truth be told, she would much rather use Jakarro, but the Wookie hadn’t been heard from in some time. Every attempt she had made to contact him recently had failed. She hoped he was well.

“And here is Sohnet,” Darmas said, holding up his personal holocom.

A chubby Mirialan, arms crossed over her chest, appeared on the com. Based on the sour expression on the woman’s face, she was not happy to receive the call. _Darmas? Why the fuck are you calling this late? It_ _’s three in the morning._

Darmas mouthed an apology to Lana, before looking back to the smuggler. “I’d watch your language in front of the Minister of Sith Intelligence, my dear.”

The scrowl on Sohnet’s face became even more pronounced. _I told you to stop calling me that_ , she said before turning her attention to Lana. _What do you need?_

“How quickly can you get to Wild Space?” Lana asked, ignoring the shouts and madness behind her. She would have to sort it all out, soon, but needed to take care of this first. Then she could quickly get the room back to a semblance of calm.

_We_ _’re in the area. Maybe six hours. Five if we push our luck._

“You’ll receive a handsome bonus if you push your luck,” Lana said, quickly running the numbers in her head. Intelligence had a limited budget; the Dark Council hadn’t yet released the funds Lana had requested. But they would soon, surely. Especially after this.

Sohnet looked off to the side with a smile on her face. _Corso, get your pretty ass out of bed and get us ready for a jump._ Lana waited while the smuggler turned her attention back to the com. _Send us the details when you have them. We_ _’ll be there in five._

The holocom blinked off and Land took a steady. One problem down. “Take point on this, Darmas. I want to know anything and everything about the attackers. Any salvage your smugglers can bring us, the better.”

“Understood, my Lord,” Darmas said. With a nod, he walked off towards Ballen.

Lana glanced at the holo. Seven minutes had passed since she learned of the ship’s destruction. Which left fifty-three minutes to compile the first report. “Haes, Singh, Tarwin, Monite, Novar, Yash, with me.”

So many names she had to memorize when first taking over this post. It took time, but she knew all her agents, at least by sight. Some, like Monite and Yash, made her uneasy, with the genetic enhancements, designed to be the perfect support for the Empire. But Lana would be a fool not to take advantage of their talents, especially during a time like this.

She walked into the hallway leading to her office and turned to face her agents. “I’m assigning each of you to a Dark Council member. You’ll compile hourly reports and be available to answer any questions they have. And they will have plenty of questions. Let them know that everything is second hand at the moment, and within eight hours, we will have more concrete answers to what has happened. Questions?”

Not surprisingly, no one said anything or even moved a muscle. “Good. Get moving.”

Her agents dispersed, and Lana continued to walk down the hallway, just past the turn, where no one in the briefing room could see her. There, even being conscious she might be on display - to someone, somewhere - Lana leaned back, her fingers splayed against the wall, as if they were the only things holding her upright.

_Maebry_ _…_

Lana closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on her lover. She searched through the Force, searched for the thin thread that bound them together. But she found nothing. That didn’t surprise her, not really. Wild Space was a long way away from Dromund Kaas.

Maebry was alive, she had to be. She absolutely couldn’t be dead. Lana opened her eyes and took a breath. Theron would have more information, surely. Their relationship had never progressed far enough to be considered friendship, especially after what happened on Rishi, but she trusted him. Even if he didn’t trust her.

Rolling her shoulders, Lana stood up straight and walked back towards the briefing room. She would meet with the smugglers in person, not trusting even the most encrypted holofrequencies, then contact Theron. In a few days, she would know who made an enemy of the Sith Empire and if her lover was dead. And if Maebry was?

Lana would make sure this new enemy would regret it.


	2. Long Live the Emperor

_A peal of laughter escaped Lana_ 's _lips before she could control herself._

 _Besides her, Maebry smiled, combing her fingers through Lana_ _’s hair. “It’s good to see you laugh,” she said softly, leaning down and kissing Lana’s temple. “Care to share the joke?”_

 _Lana raised her arms above her head, trying to stretch in the small shuttle where she and Maebry tried to take advantage of the present, before they both had to leave Yavin 4. Together they were naked, and laying on top of Lana_ _’s cloak, the closest thing they had to a blanket. She’d never be able to look at her cloak in the same way again, remembering only the way Maebry’s hands had felt as she’d explored every inch of Lana’s body and the way she tasted on Lana’s tongue._

_“I’m trying to picture myself as a Jedi, if you must know,” Lana said, turning to her side so she faced her lover. The offer hadn’t been entirely unexpected and from the way her cheeks had warmed, apparently not entirely unwelcome. But Lana was Sith. Nothing, not even caring for a Jedi more than she should, would change that._

_“And?” Maebry asked lightly._

_“I simply can’t picture my life without passion and anger and power and everything that represents the Sith Code,” Lana said honestly._

_Maebry leaned forward with no warning and kissed Lana hard, teeth scraping and tongue demanding, hard enough Lana felt a throbbing between her legs, even though she climaxed less than five minutes ago._

_And just as quickly as the kiss started, Maebry ended it, leaving them both slightly breathless._ _“I think I’ve proved I have plenty of passion,” Maebry said with a smirk dancing on her lips._

_“Oh stars, more than once,” Lana said, squeezing her thighs together. “But aren’t you breaking your oath? Aren’t you supposed to be celibate?”_

_Now it was Maebry_ 's _time to laugh. “Sex is fine,” she said. “Jedi have sex all the time, we’re not machines.” Her mouth turned down in a slight frown. “It’s attachments we’re supposed to worry about.”_

 _Lana placed her hand on Maebry_ 's _waist, sliding down her hip to cup her ass. “And this doesn’t qualify as an attachment?” Lana asked, trying to push aside the sudden hurt brewing. There was no logical reason to feel hurt, but there she was._

_“How can it when I won’t ever see you again after today?” Maebry said, her voice cracking._

_They both moved at the same time, legs tangling while they kissed, and licked, and in Maebry's_ _case, bit. Lana would have some glorious marks tomorrow, and she would revel in each and every one._

_Once they were spent, Lana and Maebry lay close, their bodies pressed together._ _“The road goes both ways, you know,” Lana whispered, about to come as close as she could to baring her heart. “You could join me, become Sith.”_

_Maebry froze, her eyes going wide. Lana recognized the look of sheer terror on Maebry's_ _face. But usually when Lana saw that look, it would be on an enemy’s face, not someone she cared about._

_And that_ _’s when Lana remembered. The Jedi puppet, Sith laughingly had called Maebry for those two weeks she had been controlled by the Emperor. Lana hadn’t seen any of it first hand - as an untitled Sith, she shouldn’t have even known about the Emperor’s Fortress - but she heard a great deal of the horrors Maebry had been forced to commit._

_Until this very second, Lana hadn't_ _put the two together, that this woman in her arms, this woman who cried out Lana’s name only moments ago, was truly the Jedi puppet._

_“That was a thoughtless remark,” Lana said quietly, kissing Maebry’s shoulder. “I shouldn’t have said that.”_

_“It’s alright,” Maebry said. Her voice sounded dull, uninspired, and Lana wondered if she just managed to ruin their farewell thanks to a single comment. “It was a long time ago. I’m stronger now.”_

_“You are,” Lana whispered, brushing her lips against Maebry’s. “You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met.”_

_“That’s right,” Maebry said. Lana froze at the heat in Maebry’s voice. It didn’t sound like her at all. “And soon I will be even stronger…”_

_Lana pulled back, covering herself with her cloak, reaching for her lightsaber out of habit. When Maebry opened her eyes, gone were the dark brown eyes Lana had found herself lost in more than once, and replaced with the cruel reddened eyes of a Sith._

#

It was as if all of Lana’s senses tried to attack her at once.

She woke up in a panic, trying to get control of her mind. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong, and Lana had to _think._ But the pain, oh the pain wouldn’t let her. This wasn’t a physical pain; she understood physical pain, accepted it as a part of her life, but this was in her mind. This was the Force trying to completely upend itself.

Her stomach rolled, and Lana ran into the small fresher, just off her cabin in her personal shuttle. She barely made it to the toilet before her threw up the contents of her stomach, then gagging, her body trying to purge even more, if it could.

Without bothering to wash out her mouth, Lana sat on the cool porcelain floor of the fresher, bringing her knees up to her chest, trying to regain some sense of balance. What had just _happened?_ A mere dream shouldn’t have affected her like this. Closing her eyes, Lana tentatively reached out through the Force. Within seconds, she understood.

“Vitiate.”

The Sith Emperor was dead.

Of this she had no doubt. It was as certain as she breathed or as she loved. Viviate was dead.

Forcing herself to her knees, Lana settled back into her favored meditation position. Her breathing was still shallow and the taste of bile clogged her throat, but she had no time. She needed to know what was going on _now._

Her eyes closed, and she thought only of the Force, of its rhythm and of its coyness. How it only ever wanted to provide complex answers to simple questions. But in the end, the Force was a living thing, and all living things could be conquered.

The ripples of the Emperor’s death dominated. For a moment, Lana worried she might not be able to find anything else in its wake. But then she saw the slightest opening and rammed her way through. Normally, she preferred a more subtle approach, but there was no time for subtly now.

“Darth Marr is dead,” she said slowly, working out the implications. His flagship had been reported destroyed more than thirty-six hours ago. And only now did Lana sense his death. Captured? If Marr had been captured, surely Maebry had been as well. Lana focused on her lover, picturing her in her mind.

But she found nothing. Not her death, but not her life, either. Almost as if Maebry had simply disappeared.

As much as Lana wanted to keep searching, the reality of the moment had to be dealt with. If Vitiate was truly dead, that changed _everything._ Instead of working towards an Alliance with the Republic to defeat the former Emperor, perhaps they could join together to defeat this new enemy. If these conquerors were willing to attack Korriban, surely the Republic would realize they would be next.

Her legs still slightly shaky, Lana stood, taking several moments to desperately try to calm her breathing. Returning to sleep was an impossibility; she would never be able to rest when the Force was as unsettled and unbalanced as it was. At this rate, she’d be lucky if she was able to get any work done at all.

Lana stepped up to the small sink and turned on the faucet. After washing her mouth out, she straighted her shoulders and looked at herself in the mirror.

“My eyes were green once,” she said softly, reaching out to touch her reflection. Back when she was a child, back before she discovered the Force flowed through her, she had light green eyes. But the more she delved into the Force - both light and dark - the color changed. And since Lana walked a more neutral path than most other Sith, her complexion stayed clear. But her eyes…

Maebry had thought her eyes beautiful. Lana could almost remember the feeling of Maebry’s palm resting on her cheek, as she’d asked about the color. But then she remembered her dream, and recoiled at the thought of Maebry’s blood red eyes.

Dreams didn’t come easily to Lana, unlike some Force users who seemed to dream all the time. She rarely remembered hers, and when she did, they had _meaning._ She tried to think what her dream about Maebry could possibly represent. Mabery becoming Sith? This new enemy corrupting her to the dark side? It simply didn’t make sense. Maebry resisted the Emperor, resisted Vitiate, all those years ago. What power could possibly overcome her now?

Lana needed answers, but until they had more information, she might as well be blind. No one had yet declared responsibility for the attack on Darth Marr’s ship. Hopefully the smugglers, when she met them tomorrow, would have some answers. Until then, she would work with what she had. Like she always had.

#

The headache didn’t seem to want to go away.

Lana pressed the heel of her palm to her temple, trying to relieve the pressure. But the pain, throbbing just underneath her skin, refused to disappear. No matter, Lana thought. She had worked through worse than this in her life. She’d work through it now.

Her new boots didn’t make a sound as she walked through Port Nowhere. If Lana had command of stealth, like some Sith, she would shroud herself so no one could even see her. Instead, blending in and looking unforgettable as possible would have to do. Though having her lightsaber underneath her coat instead of nestled at her hip, caused more than a little uneasiness.

She had been through a number of barges like Port Nowhere in her life. Dirty and fast-paced. A boon for smugglers and criminals alike. A place where they could be ignored and ignore others in return. Perfect for a meeting to swap vital information.

Loud techno music played as Lana entered the cantina. A few people danced, but even more crowded the bar. And in one corner, far from any potential eavesdroppers, were Darmas and the smuggler twins he raved about.

The twins looked like they were in their element. Sohnet had her feet up on the table while Sohnar sat backwards in the chair, resting his arms on the back. Darmas, wearing civilian clothes instead of his normal Imperial uniform, stood as she approached.

“My lord, let me introduce Sohnet and Sohnar,” he said with a quick bow of his head.

“Look at you, being all formal with Sith,” Sohnet said, letting out a chuckle as she put her feet back on the ground. “Sort of hoped you’d wear your uniform. I do like a man in uniform.”

“My dear, you really shouldn’t toy with my feelings like this,” Darmas said, sitting down at the table. “Aren’t you supposed to be happily married?”

“Oh, I am,” Sohnet said. “Very much so. And I told you to stop calling me that.”

Usually Lana didn’t mind banter. The humor relieved tension, keeping people sharper, more ready to do their jobs. But Emperor Vitiate had been killed seven hours ago and she had no time. “I have a very strict schedule,” she said as she sat down. Bringing out her personal holopad, she ran a debugging program to ensure no one could overhear.

“Ignore them,” Sohnar said, placing a satchel on the table. His skin was a darker shade of green than his sister’s, with more pronounced tattoos. “I’ve got your goods.” He took out a holopad from the bag. “It’s not as much as we’d like-”

“No kidding,” Sohnet said, picking up the pad. “There were still ships there, attacking any salvagers that got too close to Marr’s ship. We should charge extra. You never mentioned we’d be flying into a combat zone. We got some vids, though.”

Lana hoped disappointment didn’t show on her face. “So you weren’t able to get on the ship? Just vids?”

Sohnar snorted. “We’re better than that, lady,” he said. Lana bristled at the familiarity, but teaching Sith etiquette to a couple of smugglers was not to be on the agenda today. “We were able to bring a small chuck of one of their smaller ships onboard. Looks like there’s a console port.”

“None of our crew are exactly tech specialists, so we didn’t want to risk anything,” Sohnet said, her voice sounding serious for the first time since Lana sat down. “There were markings, though. Runes. We were able to cross reference information Darmas gave us from the attack on Korriban and we know exactly who decided to pick a fight with you.”

Lana took a breath. She wanted nothing more than to grab the holopad the twins provided and make her way back to Dromund Kaas, where her analysts waited. But this was not the place for loose lips. “Perhaps we should finish this conversation somewhere less crowded.”

#

“They’re called Skytroopers,” Sohnet said, gesturing to the droid on the kitchen galley table.

They had moved to the twin’s ship, a small freighter that had clearly seen better days. It reminded her of Jakarro’s ship, though maybe a littler cleaner. The galley was crowded, with most of the twin’s crew showing up. A Wookie, a Mandorlorian, and an exiled monarch, if Lana’s memory of a briefing about Dubrillion was correct. An interesting group, to be sure.

“You managed to find a complete one?” Lana asked. After the attack on Korriban, Lana had the sands combed over and over, hoping to discover an undamaged droid. But the army had been thorough, and left nothing of value behind.

“Yep,” Sohnar said with a grin. “From what we can tell, it’s harness malfunctioned. It never left it’s post when the fighting started. It’s ship must have exploded, and drifted just far away enough from Marr’s ship that no one noticed. Shame.”

“The memory core is intact,” Lana said, her heart suddenly pounding. In one day, she would be able to bring back more information about the enemy than in the three months of searching since Korriban. “This is exactly what we needed.”

“My lord, why don’t you bring your ship over and dock? We can then transfer the console and the droid,” Darmas said. “I’ll take care of their payment while you head back to Dromund Kaas.”

Lana nodded. “Exactly what I was-”

The alarms on both Lana’s and Darmas’ holopads went off at once. Both high-pitched and shrieking, causing Lana almost to want to cover her ears. But she settled quickly. This wasn’t just any alarm. This was an alert that she needed to listen to at once. “Everyone leaves the galley except for Darmas. Now,” she commanded. She didn’t care if she was a guest aboard this ship or not.

Lana ignored the shared glances between the crew and keyed in the code to access the message. Thankfully, none of the crew seemed like they were willing to put up a fight to her demand.

“Akaavi, are there any cameras left in the galley?” Sohnar asked as he left the room.

“We moved them,” the Mandalorian replied.

When the door was closed, leaving them safely alone, Lana asked, “I assume we have the same message?”

“From Ballen Haes?”

Lana nodded and brought up the message as Darmas leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. The moment a well-armored man appeared on her holo, she was on guard. She recognized this man, recognized him from security footage as he and his twin tore through Korriban like it was hand-crafted paper. If Maebry was still alive, and if _this_ was the man who captured, or worse, killed her…

Then this man was going to die. She didn’t know the details. The where, the when, or the how. She only knew that he would pay for what he had done.

He kept his statement brief, speaking only of an Outlander who had killed the beloved Immortal Emperor of the Eternal Empire of Zakuul, and that the rest of the galaxy would pay for their crime. Lana glanced at her chrono. Nine hours had passed since Vitiate’s death. And now another Immortal Emperor was dead. She didn’t believe in coincidences. Not like this.

“But who is the Outlander?” Darmas asked. “Did Darth Marr transmit a list of the people he invited to his little party?”

“Master Maebry of the Jedi Order. I’m sure of it,” Lana said. Emperor Arcann, as he called himself, made no mention of the Outlander’s fate. Somehow she doubted a trial would be in Maebry’s future. But as long as she was alive… Lana tried to find the slightest hope to hold on to, even if the hope scalded her heart. Surely if they meant to parade the Outlander out and about with a public execution, they would trumpet it from the rooftops. All Lana needed was the smallest morsel of information, and she would be able to free her lover.

“I hear you were quite the information broker when you worked on Coruscant, Darmas,” Lana said, her mind spinning over and over. There would be gangs and cartels on Zakuul, people who would be willing to provide information for a cost. A cost Lana would pay. “How would you feel about going undercover again?”

Darmas chuckled, and Lana could see he already warmed to the idea. “I do love seeing new places, my lord,” he said. “I can be on Zakuul in a week. Set myself up as a businessman in two.”

“Whatever resources you need. And keep in touch with those smugglers. We may need their services again before this is over,” Lana said.

“Of course, my lord,” Darmas said, looking like a man reborn. “But really all I need is a cantina and a deck of playing cards. Zakuul won’t know what hit them.” 


	3. The Council

Thankfully rank does have it’s privileges. Before she became Minister of Sith Intelligence, Lana would have to take the shuttle from Korriban’s orbital station just like everyone else. Now, she could land her small ship in a secure landing area, right behind the Sith Academy. The privacy was desperately welcome, because she was not looking forward to these next few hours at all.

The summons from the Dark Council was not unexpected. The Empire was at war, and she the head of one of the more powerful branches of government. Of course they would want an in-person report. She just wished she had more to provide.

Seven days had passed since the destruction of Darth Marr’s ship. Two days since the Eternal Empire had overwhelmed the forces on Darvannis, striking a critical blow to the Imperial Empire’s ability to rearm themselves. And now Lana had to report why she had absolutely no idea of where Zakuul might lash out next. How they managed to be everywhere at once astounded her.

The autopilot shut off, and Lana stood up, straightening her red and black formal robes. No plain armor for her today. In front of the Dark Council she must look every bit the Sith she was. Her hair was artfully arranged off of her face, and her makeup severe. Maebry might not even recognize her in this state. Stars, Lana barely recognized herself. Normally she had no patience for the pomp and circumstances regarding Sith traditions, but she had no choice. To disrespect the Dark Council would be paramount to suicide.

She lingered at the doorway of the shuttle, her hand hovering just above the console. This would be the first time she’d been on Korriban since the Eternal Empire’s attack more than three months ago. When this door opened, and Lana felt the heat from the desert sands, it would be real.

Every single day since the attack, since Darth Axtara finally fell, Lana had received reports. She knew exactly how many people died, how many young Sith lost their lives trying to protect the Sith Academy. She knew how many credits would be required to rebuild, and that so many apprentices had been killed, some thought it might not be worth the cost. She _knew._

Her agents had been quite thorough.

But reading about crumbling ruins or the mass burial pyre in the safety of her office on Dromund Kaas was one thing. Actually seeing the damage for herself would be something else entirely. To see how far the Sith had fallen, to have allowed Korriban, one of their most sacred dwellings, to be attacked twice - first by the Order of Revan and then by Zakuul - in less than a year. Perhaps the Sith did not deserve to lead, after all. Because the Sith had failed. Utterly and completely.

Worse, _she_ had failed.

Over and over again, Lana failed the Sith. If she had been a better leader, a stronger personality, perhaps then her agents would have caught something, found _something_ that would have kept the Empire protected. Instead, she’d step out of her ship and see the ruins.

For fourteen years, Lana had called Korriban home. Here she had unlocked secrets of the Force, learned how to use a lightsaber, and discovered the power of lightning dancing from her fingertips. Here she had embraced the dark side, but not forgetting to leave a small crack open to let in the light. Even as a gangly teenager, with knobby wrists and knees, Lana had wanted to be prepared for every and any possibility.

Maebry had discovered that sliver of light, and somehow managed to work her way into Lana’s heart, even before Lana had a chance to protest. And now that Maebry had left her mark, Lana didn’t know if she would ever be whole without the Jedi.

Lana took a breath. She was being ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous, becoming maudlin when she had work that needed to be done. At least she had her work. Work would keep her steady, work would keep her from falling into despair. She would find the people who had killed her love and have her revenge against them. Simple as that.

A blast of hot air hit her face as she exited the ship, while sand danced around her in the wind. The heat felt like it could choke her at any moment as she tried to get her bearings. What she should do was simple. Go inside the Sith Academy and wait in the cantina until her summons. But a quick glance at her chronometer told her she had plenty of time before the Dark Council expected her. Being too early would almost be as bad as being late.

Which left her time to indulge.

Two paths lay before her. One to the Sith Academy and the other to an old, familiar ruin. Lana turned to the right, towards the ruin, her eyes trying to take in everything at once. She had heard most of the ruins were destroyed or plundered. No doubt the Eternal Empire was pleased with their trophies. Perhaps one day, Lana could get them back.

The tunnel she walked down was quieter than she expected. As a rule, the Sith Academy and its grounds were not meant to be quiet. Younger students should be dueling or fighting the wildlife - stars help the acolyte who wandered too far unprepared -  taking every chance they could to better their skills. The older students should be indulging their passions, giving them the strength they would need if chosen to be an apprentice.

Instead, all Lana heard was quiet.

It unnerved her, sent a shiver down her spine. This was not the Korriban she remembered.

More years than she cared to admit had passed since Lana had been in a tomb like this. Not since the search for Tulak Hord’s helm. Her mind lingered on Bensyn, her first lover, her first fumbling attempt at a relationship. They both had known it wouldn’t last; Bensyn made it clear he would only form a serious attachment with another pureblood sith. He had been a good learning experience on what she wanted. She wondered if he lived. She hadn’t heard from him in some time.

A surge of dark energy surrounded Lana, and she drew on the memory of that search for the helm of Tulak Hord. She lost two friends because of that damn helm. Using those feelings, she drew on her anger and passion, letting her mind relax into a meditative state. Ideally, she would be kneeling, but one does not walk into the Dark Council chambers with dirt stained knees. Standing and breathing carefully would have to do.

Even with her eyes closed, Lana saw Maebry’s face before her. She concentrated on her face, on the scars scattered across the right side, the flecks of green in her brown eyes, and the darkness of her skin.

And Lana reached out.

She reached out for some sign from Maebry. For something that would tell Lana if the Jedi was dead or alive. For something for Lana to cling to, or for something to destroy her hopes. The dark side swirled around her, traveling through her blood, into every nerve, muscle, and bone. Korriban should strengthen her search, but Lana felt nothing.

Her eyes opened with a start. Where was _she?_ Every time Lana had meditated since Darth Marr’s death, she searched for Maebry. And every time she had, she fell up short. That left only one thing to do. She would have to go to Wild Space herself.

But she could plan that later. Now Lana had a report to give.

#

Lana held her shoulders back and walked into the Dark Council chambers like she belonged there. Let them harbor no doubts. Lana Beniko was Sith, and she _belonged._

The slaves had done quick work, putting the chambers back together after the Eternal Empire attack. However it wasn’t the Dark Council chambers she remembers. The chairs, thrones really, were on the floor, allowing almost anyone standing to be taller than the Council. Gone were tapestries and carvings, trophies of war. Sacked by both the Revanites and Zakuul. Though knowing what she knew about the Dark Council, no doubt they would make sure their chambers were in perfect order before spending credits to deal with the rest of Korriban.

“My lords,” she said, bowing her head just low enough to be respectful, but not low enough to grovel. She headed Sith Intelligence. By all rights, that empty seat for the Sphere of Imperial Intelligence, not claimed since Darth Zhorrid, should be hers. “I will assume you’ve all read Sith Intelligence’s latest report. We now have a cipher agent on Zakuul, and he’s working to establish contacts. He believes-”

“Zakuul was clearly waiting for an excuse to attack,” Darth Ravage said, leaning back in his chair. “How is it we didn’t expect them?”

Lana pursed her lips. She truly didn’t like being interrupted. But she expected this question, prepared for this question. Yet somehow the words she had so carefully planned seemed to slip from her mind. “Sith Intelligence has not made it back to full strength since Imperial Intelligence was dismantled several years ago,” she said, her eyes not leaving Ravage’s. He had been on the Dark Council when the decision had been made. He and Mortis and Vowrawn and even Marr had let themselves be used by the Star Cabal. How much stronger would Intelligence be if that dissolution had never taken place?

“Marr supposedly brought you in to fix that,” Darth Mortis said, steepling his fingers together. “Yet we are worse off than before.”

She swallowed, realizing she stood on the edge of knife. One false step, and she would be destroyed. “Intelligence cannot predict the future, my lords. We can only react to known threats. If we had known of Zakuul’s existence, we would have been able to be prepared.”

“And why didn’t we know of their existence, Lord Beniko?” Darth Rictus asked.

“I suggest you ask Darth Ravage,” Lana said, placing her hands behind her back. She kept her voice light. Innocent, even. “He is in charge of the Sphere of Expansion and Diplomacy, after all.”

Ravage half rose out of his seat and it took every ounce of willpower Lana possessed not to reach for her lightsaber. Veiled barbs were one thing, drawing a lightsaber in the middle of the Dark Council Chambers something very different. “I would choose your words more carefully, Lord Beniko,” Darth Acina said. Her tone was serious, but Lana didn’t miss the smile hiding behind the hand covering her mouth. “It almost sounded like you meant to blame a Dark Council member for this.”

Lana bowed her head, a little lower than before. “Utmost apologies, my lords. I only meant to say if the Sphere had been able to inform Intelligence about Zakuul’s existence, then we would have been more prepared.”

_Beniko, what are you doing?_ she thought to herself. Antagonizing the Dark Council would do absolutely no good. She raised her head, chin held high, and scanned the chambers, looking them all in the eye. Let no one say Lord Lana Beniko stepped away from a challenge.

“Come now, we’re all friends here,” Darth Vorawn said patiently. “No need to swipe verbal spars. We all want what’s best for the Empire.”

“That is my goal every waking hour of the day. Everything I do, I do for the Empire,” Lana said, truth behind every word. Taking out her holopad, she readied herself to start her report.

“Perhaps we should discuss what exactly you have done for the Empire.” Darth Imperius’ voice was soft, one that expected people to listen to his words. “Did you plan the attack on the Jedi Temple yourself?”

_Forgive me, Maebry._ “I did, yes. I tried to convince Darth Arkous that it would be more prudent to re-establish security on Korriban. But he rejected my advice and used a plan I had already created.”

Those days had been full of confusion. Arkous had wanted her to provide a ‘theoretical’ attack on the Jedi Temple. Always up for a challenge, Lana had worked tirelessly, overseeing each stage of the battle. Until Arkous had announced the Empire would attack Tython in response to the Korriban invasion, Lana had thought her work completely harmless, a brain exercise, more than anything else. Though at the time, she must admit, there had been a secret thrill knowing that _her_ plan would allow the Imperial Army to advance on Tython. Of course, Maebry had quickly arrived to save the day and the Imperial Empire had run back Imperial Space with their tails between their legs. 

“How long did you work for Darth Arkous?” Mortis asked.

“Three years, my lord,” Lana replied at once. Three years she worked tirelessly for the man, learning everything she could about the Sphere of Military Offense. She had realized if she played her part well, some day she might ascend to the leader of that Sphere. Though truly, military offense was not her strength. She would have been much happier working for a non-military sphere, such as Biotic Science or Sith Philosophy. But everyone must start somewhere.

“And in all that time…” Acina let the question hang over the room.

It made no sense for Lana to play the fool. She would answer to the best of ability. “No, I did not. Until the Tython invasion, I assumed that Darth Arkous was a loyal member of the Dark Council. Once I realized, I did everything I could to bring him down and uncover the Revanite plot.”

“Then Ziost…” Rictus said.

Lana closed her eyes only for a moment, trying to get her bearings. The last thing she needed was for the Dark Council to parade failure after failure, as if those deaths on Ziost hadn’t haunted her dreams. As if she couldn’t remember the bile in her throat and the pounding in her head as she felt every single on of those millions of deaths through the Force, hadn’t heard them screaming for help, while she stood powerless to do anything but watch from the Orbital platform.

“Yes, then Ziost. And then Zakuul. With all respect, Councilors, I am _very_ aware of what I have done for the Empire, both the good and the bad,” Lana said, trying to keep her voice level. She would prefer to end this interview with her dignity intact, if possible.

Though she knew there was a very real chance she wouldn’t leave this room alive. She was the expendable one, after all. Without Darth Marr’s protection, the Dark Council could place the blame completely on her shoulders. Blame the upstart Sith who dared to take over Sith Intelligence without the consent of the rest of the Council.

The main question in her head was would they outright kill her for her failures or attempt to torture her first? Lana would never leave this galaxy quietly without a fight. How many Dark Council members would she take with her?

She waited for the reprisal, for the rebuke for speaking out of turn. It never came. Instead, Imperius leaned back in his chair. “Your services as Minister of Sith Intelligence are no longer required, Lord Beniko. You may leave now.”

Her pride demanded she lash out, make them take back those words. Lana had never failed to see anything through in her life. Not in her trials on Korriban, where Overseer Harkun had made each challenge more ridiculous than the next. Not as a young Sith, no matter where she was stationed, even on tedious planets like Hoth. She didn’t even consider her work with Darth Arkous a failure, as she did expose the man at the end. Ziost, yes, was a blemish on her record, but there had to be a mole in her organization and eventually she would…

No. She wouldn’t. Sith Intelligence was no longer hers to control. If there was a mole or a double agent, someone else would be responsible to find them.

All Lana could do now is hold her head high and assume the Dark Council wouldn’t stoop to killing her when her back was turned when they could easily kill her now. “Thank you, my lords. I appreciate the chance and will instruct that all security codes be changed immediately.”

None of the six bothered to respond. As Mortis changed the subject to fleet strength, Imperius looked her straight in the eye before dismissively waving his hand towards her. Well, Lana certainly knew how to take a hint.

Now the only question Lana had would she actually make it out of the Sith Academy alive?

#

She made it as far as the exit. Lana could actually see her ship through the entranceway when the assassin attacked.

Her lightsaber was in her hand in an instant, but her heavy formal robes would cause a problem, no doubt. Lana’s movements felt sluggish, almost slow as she parried the attack. The assassin carried a double-bladed lightsaber and Lana focused on the hilt, knowing where the hilt went, the blades would follow.

Lana let her anger and her frustration build, let it wrap around her like a blanket. Having the Dark Council try to kill her would have been one thing. It would have shown her they thought her worthy of respect. But this? Having a Sith wearing a mask and plain black robes - Lana couldn’t even tell who her assailant might be - attempt to cut her down was an insult.

As her fury rose, Lana felt electricity in her offhand build. She and the assassin traded blows

“Enough,” Lana snarled, letting the energy discharge from her offhand. The assassin froze in shock for just a moment, but long enough for Lana to turn. She would sprint to her ship and hope no one rigged it to explode while she was in the Dark Council chambers.

She started to take off on a sprint, but was immediately yanked back. “Oh for…” Lana muttered, realizing the assassin had grabbed the hem of her formal cape. Her neck stung where the heavy fabric pressed into her skin, but she had no time to deal with pain. Kicking the assassin right in the face, Lana felt a bit too gratified at the moan of pain from her attacker.

Without a second thought, Lana unclasped the cape’s fastener, and ran as hard as she could towards her ship. As she ran, she took out her holopad and keyed in the passcodes required to bring the ship online. The hatch opened and trying not to feel any sort of relief - she was not safe yet; would she ever be safe again? - she ran on board.

“Yavin 4,” she shouted to the autopilot as she limped towards the cockpit. Her leg was burning; the assassin must have gotten a hit without Lana noticing. But she would worry about treating her wounds once she was off of Korriban.

She sat down in the pilot’s seat with a thud, holding her side as it started to cramp. The readouts told her no one was attempting to stop her or take control of her vessel. Could the Dark Council actually be willing to simply let her leave? Through the view screen, Lana waited and watched for that moment when the sky turned into space. She always had loved that moment.

Now came the true test with her ship. Going into hyperdrive. She keyed in the command and waited. She would not close her eyes. Let her face death like an old friend.

The ship didn’t explode.

Lana slouched her shoulders, just the tiniest amount, as she tried to catch her breath. Now she could tend to her wounds as she figured out her next step. Though even with all the uncertainly now around her, Lana knew one thing for certain.

She was never wearing a cape again.


	4. There is no Contemplation

Under normal circumstances, Lana would never waste energy doing something as pedantic as _pacing_. She had left that for Theron Shan and Jakarro when they were underground, preferring to clear her mind with meditation instead. But adrenaline still coursed through her blood from the fight, from knowing that her entire life had just been turned upside down and inside out, never to be the same again.

So she paced.

Wringing her hands, Lana tried to focus. If she wanted to survive - and oh she did; she was _Sith_ \- a plan was needed. Quickly.

The fact that she made it off of Korriban, that her ship hadn’t been sabotaged, made her decide the Council wasn’t completely against the idea that she continued the breathe. Lana took one of those breaths - always more cherished after a close escape from death - and forced herself to think.

Her ship would have to be her command center for now. There were plenty of neutral sites where she could refuel, purchase supplies, and hunt for information. At the thought of credits, Lana picked up her holopad and checked her personal funds. Access hadn’t been revoked, so she quickly changed all of her passwords and safeguards. If the Council instructed the International Banking Clan to strip her funds, she would make it as difficult as possible for them. Those credits would ensure her survival.

Rolling her shoulders, Lana found she already missed the heavy weight of her cloak. It had never impeded her in battle before. Never. But the cloak was on Korriban, no doubt ripped to shreds already. Such a silly, sentimental thing to be attached to. A bloody cloak of all things.

A quick glance at the chrono told her she had another two hours before she would be at Yavin 4. Lana wasn’t even sure why she chose the planet. Maebry, perhaps, and remembering the last time she was truly happy. For years Lana wasn’t sure if she even understood the concept of happiness. She had her duty, and everything else paled after that, until she met Maebry.

_There is only duty_ _…_

Master Surro.

Lana’s hand covered her mouth, as if she needed to keep from making a sound. If anything were to happen to the Jedi Master, she would never forgive herself. Without a second thought, she sprinted to the front of the cockpit and changed the course to Dromund Kaas. How could she have forgotten, even for a moment?

Master Surro was confined to a small medical facility on Dromund Kaas that Lana handpicked herself. Thanks to her position as head of Sith Intelligence, the researchers followed her edicts without question. Nothing too invasive, nothing too traumatic. The goal was to make Master Surro feel like a guest, not a prisoner. But without Lana’s leverage in Intelligence, the researchers could choose to defy every order and test however they wanted.

Lana knew how much Maebry sacrificed deciding that Master Surro should to go to Korriban instead of Tython. Theron had looked away in disgust and no doubt the Jedi Order had choice words to say about the decision. But Maebry made the choice because she had known it had been the right thing to do. At the time at least. Now with Vitiate dead, Lana only felt doubt when she was used to certainty.

Getting Master Surro back into Jedi hands would be the only option. If Lana wasn’t there to oversee every test and every scan, she simply couldn’t trust the researchers not to do any test they wanted. Stars knew it happened enough with captured Jedi. It would not happen to a Jedi in Lana’s care. Not when Maebry trusted Lana to keep Master Surro safe.

Having Master Surro released wouldn’t be an issue. But how to get the woman over to the Jedi? Asking Theron was out of the question. The last thing Lana wanted was him lording over her, especially now, when she had no title, not position, and no purpose. No, she had a purpose, at the moment at least. Her purpose would be ensuring Master Surro’s safety and well-being. For Maebry’s sake. After that, well, that would be another story and she would not dwell on any potential future.

Satele Shan? No, too close to Theron. On Yavin 4, she spoke with several Jedi, but she wouldn’t _trust_ any of them. Let them be useful, certainly, but for something this delicate? She needed someone who would actually be willing to work with a Sith. Most Jedi weren’t like Maebry. They would see Lana’s eyes, feel her connection to the dark side and assume _enemy_ instead of seeing the potential.

 A story came to mind. One the Wrath shared with her several years ago. Hope bubbled up in Lana’s chest. While the Wrath technically did the Council’s will, she made it clear she had little patience for them. Surely she would be willing to help. Of course, if word had already gotten out that Lana was disgraced, the Wrath might not even accept the call. No matter. The least Lana could do was _try._

Just as she was about to press the keypad to make the call, Lana paused. It would not do to call the Wrath when her face was red and her hair a mess. As much as she hated this game, it had to be played. A quick trip to the fresher solved the problems on the surface: smudged makeup removed, hair brushed out of her face. But it did not solve how she pressed her lips together in a thin line or the worry that showed through her eyes.

Lana settled herself in the captain’s chair of her ship and pinged the Wrath. They had only met a few times over the years, but Lana always liked the woman. A surprisingly short amount of time passed before the Wrath, Alida Koning, showed up on the holo. The Wrath was a Pureblood Sith, whose age was closer to Maebry’s than Lana’s. But in that time, she had done remarkable things. No one would ever call the Wrath a beautiful woman, but Lana never could seem to look away when in her presence.

“Lord Wrath,” Lana said, putting just the right amount of deference into her voice. “I’m honored that you accepted my call.”

_Anything for the Minister of Sith Intelligence,_ Alida said lightly, crossing her arms over her chest.

After all these years, Lana knew how to keep her face neutral, how not to give one speck of information away. The Wrath hadn’t heard the news yet. Good. Lana could use this to her advantage. “I appreciate that, my lord Wrath,” Lana said with a nod of the head. “I was remembering a story you told me, of your time on Belsavis, when you worked with a Jedi.”

Alida let out a peel of laughter, laughter that was bright and happy, things Lana would never associate with the Wrath. _Master Timms. Oh, I haven_ _’t thought of him in_ years _. Amazing to find a Jedi that amused me enough not to kill._ She tilted her head, and Lana kept eye contact, even though it seemed those bright orange eyes peered deep into her soul. This was a risk, what Lana was doing. If the Wrath found out of the deception, or put the timing of this call and the eventual news of Lana’s dismissal together…

“I have need for, shall we say, an open minded Jedi. One who might be willing to work with the Sith,” Lana said, leaning back in her chair.

_And here I thought you knew plenty of Jedi,_ Alida said. _Like that Master Jedi of yours. There were some very interesting rumors coming out of Yavin 4._

The casual mention of Mabery threatened to knock the wind out of Lana. She couldn’t make any sudden reactions, show any sign discomfort, not to the Wrath. If she showed any weakness, any sign that she, Lana Beniko, truly cared for the Jedi Knight, her life might as well be forfeit. Lacing her fingers over her stomach, Lana said, putting on an unworried air, “One does take their pleasures where they can, my Lord Wrath.”

Wagging her finger at Lana, Alida said, _I knew there was a reason I liked you_. She picked up a nearby holopad. _I should still have his personal holofrequency, assuming it hasn_ _’t changed. I’ll send it right over._

“Thank you,” Lana said quietly. Her personal holopad pinged almost at once with the information. “I do appreciate your help.”

_And I do appreciate the idea of the Minister of Sith Intelligence owing me a favor,_ Alida said, her smile sharp and pointed. _I_ _’ll make sure to collect some day._

Lana stood and bowed her head, wondering just how the Wrath will feel once she discovered the truth. “Of course, my Lord Wrath. May the Force ever serve you.”

The Wrath disappeared from the holo and Lana let out her breath. She had the information she needed. She might feel the Wrath’s wrath some day, but Lana couldn’t think about that now. Instead, she tried not to smile at her own horrible pun. Maebry no doubt would have appreciated the word play.

And thinking of Maebry, and the promise Lana had made her to keep Master Surro protected, she picked up her holo and contacted Master Timms.

#

Regret crept up Lana’s spine as Dromund Kaas came into view. There was still so much she could do, so much she _wanted_ to do to help the Empire. Yet the Sith Council swept her aside like an errant gnat.

When orbital defense requested her ship’s credentials before landing, Lana did not provide her true information, and instead gave the information of a fictional worker in her parent’s shipping company. The forged registration of her ship backed up the claim, that she was simply a weary worker returning home.

Then once she walked through the spaceport, Lana knew exactly just where to step to evade the cameras. Sith Intelligence need not know she returned. Not yet, anyway. Once Master Surro was safely off of Dromund Kass, then Lana could let her face be seen by a scanner. Not a moment before.

As the spaceport took control of her ship for landing, Lana smoothed out the front of her armor. On paper, her plan seemed so simple. Make it to the medical facility without being seen on camera. Ask the researchers to release Master Surro into her care. Then make it back to her ship. Of course, the number of things that could go wrong were astronomical. But Lana had no choice but to try. She owed that to Maebry.

Flipping up the hood of her armor, Lana brought back her shoulders and let her mind dwell on the dark side, on passion, and anger, and everything that it meant to be Sith. In this state, no one would dare bother her as she walked through the spaceport. Other Sith would most likely give way to such power.

Even with her hood, Lana moved through the spaceport carefully, as a hooded Sith should not have the registration papers of a simple dock worker. Once she finally made it outside, she turned towards a rack of speeders, all waiting for someone to liberate them. The one she choose was simple, like a dozen of other models, one that wouldn’t stand out. Slicing it to start was practically child’s play. She meant what she said back on Rishi that she was getting the hang of the craft. In another life, she might have actually enjoy the challenge of being a slicer.

As she drove to the city proper, Lana’s mind drifted to her mother. She hadn’t yet told them what had happened, that their life might be even more at risk because of her. But they had made their choice years ago. While most Sith discard their families like shedding skin, they wanted to keep in touch. And Lana found over the years she didn’t mind the contact.

She would tell them, and soon. But not until Master Surro was safe.

Lana pulled up to the medical facility and took a moment to prepare. Outside, she saw one guard who would pose no threat. This was a small facility, one of the reasons Lana choose it. Slipping on her Dark Lord persona once more, Lana walked up to the building, not bothering to stop when the guard welcomed her. Since she did not call after her, Lana walked right in.

A bored looking receptionist sat at the front desk, but immediately straightened, fear in his eyes as he saw Lana’s approach. She made no notice of the man and walked through the hallways until she arrived at Master Surro’s room. Through the two-way mirror, Lana saw Master Surro wearing a t-shirt and exercise pants as she sat on a couch, her legs tucked underneath her.

“Excuse me,” said a timid voice off to the side. Lana relaxed and took off her hood as she recognized the leader of Surro’s team. Fional Dayton, reedy man with an even reedier voice, walked up to her. “Lord Beniko… Well. Um. This is awkward.”

“I take it I no longer have authorization to be here?” Lana asked, letting her hand fall on her lightsaber. She wished she could be above such petty threats, but Lana knew better. Until she and Surro were safely off Dromund Kaas, she had to assume the worst in everyone.

“That’s right,” Dayton said, his eyes darting to her lightsaber. “But that edict came from Intelligence, not the Sith. And of course, my lord, I obey the Sith.”

Oh these games were so tedious. “I’ll be removing Master Surro from your care. I’m grateful for the work that you’ve done so far.” Lana stepped up to the console and keyed in the code to Surro’s room. Surprisingly, it hadn’t been changed yet. “I’ll need her records.”

“Of course,” Dayton said, bringing out a holopad. “You do realize I will need to report this to Sith Intelligence.”

Bribery might be beneath her, but Lana was willing to use all of her options. “I have very generous bonus ready if you would be willing to wait two hours before contacting them.” The scheme would work, she had no doubt. Lana knew the salaries of the researches. And Dayton lived in Kaas City, which was incredibly expensive on his salary. “What do you say?”

“I suppose I have some pressing matters to attend to before I can make any holocalls,” Dayton said quickly.

“Good man,” Lana said, transferring the credit to his account. If Intelligence did their jobs properly, they’d easily discover the payment. But they would get no further than that, as her accounts where from an untraceable account.

Master Surro looked up at Lana’s approach. The Jedi’s eyes were slightly blurry, hopefully from sleep and not from a drugs. Now all Lana had to do was make it back to the spaceport and get off planet before anyone realized she had been here.

“Come, Jedi,” Lana said. “Time to take a trip.”

#

“Master Surro,” Lana said, resisting the urge to tap the Jedi on the shoulder. “We’re here, we’ve made it to Nar Shaddaa.”

Surro blinked rapidly as she looked around the cabin. In the two days of travel, the Jedi did little else than sleep. Lana could admit she was grateful Surro wanted to be alone. “So dark,” she said, raising her hand as if to shield herself.

Lana tried not to bristle at the comment. She did keep the lights low in the cabin, yes, but they were well within the standard range. But then she chided herself for being ridiculous. Surro was not well. “I can bring up the lights if you want.”

Their eyes met then, and bringing Lana back to Ziost, to when she saw the Sith Emperor in those eyes. Her stomach clenched, remembering how Vitiate had attempted to invade her mind over and over again, until Lana had worried she might be too weak to evade the attacks forever. And then just how grateful she had been to see Maebry’s face, even when Lana’s words had been cold towards her lover.

_You don_ _’t belong here, Jedi, you shouldn’t have come._

How those words haunted Lana now, when she had no idea if Maebry was dead or alive. If she was the Outlander Prince Arcann ranted and railed against, the one who killed their Emperor, Zakuul gave no sign. What she would give for something, of some hope.

“You wish for light,” Surro said, her voice gentle, almost soothing.

The words cut Lana deeply, deeper than she would care to admit. “You have no idea what I wish, Jedi,” she said slowly. “Come, we have a tight schedule.”

Master Surro stood, slightly unbalanced before righting herself. She wore no armor, just a plain simple shift dress of Lana’s, and bore no lightsaber. Lana didn’t have time to search for Surro’s personal belongings in the medical facility. Would she even trust the Jedi with a weapon at this point? Even though Lana knew she could defend herself, she’d rather not put that to the test.

The hatch opened and Lana kept her hand on her lightsaber, wanting to be prepared for all outcomes. “Follow me,” Lana told Master Surro. She heard the shuffling footsteps of the Master behind her, and Lana didn’t look back. Theron, no doubt, would want Lana to feel guilty at the decision she made to explore the connection between Surro and the late Emperor. But Lana felt no guilt, no regret. While the Emperor may be silenced for now, what if he found a way to come back?

If only she could stay on Dromund Kaas and oversee the research. But Lana knew that she wouldn’t be safe on Dromund Kaas any longer. If one assassin was willing to strike, there would be others, and who knew how many might lurk in the shadows. Best to stay mobile and not in any one location for any length of time.

Lana’s grip on her lightsaber tightened once she realized that it was not the expected Master Timms who stood at the bottom of the stairs leading into the docking bay. Instead, Lana found herself looking a a woman who needed no introduction, the Barsen’thor of the Jedi Order, Master Zosh’taa.

A Togruta with shorter tendrils than average, Master Zosh’taa was a striking looking woman, with almost a teal complexion and dark blue eyes. “Lord Beniko, I presume,” Master Zosh’taa said in a clear voice. The woman kept her hands behind her back, offering no other greeting. While Lana didn’t expect a warm welcome, the lack of handshake bothered her. She did work with the Jedi Order before, for goodness sakes. But then again, Lana did essentially kidnap a Jedi. Maebry might have given permission, but she hadn’t spoken for all Jedi.

“Master Zosh’taa,” Lana replied with a nod, before turning back to check on Master Surro. The human took her steps slow, but to Lana’s relief, did not stumble or falter once. “You’ll find Master Surro in good health.”

“Forgive me if I don’t take your word,” Zosh’taa said curtly. “I have a medical professional on my ship. He will check her over. Thoroughly.”

“Then let me assist,” Lana said, keeping her voice steady. She took out a holopad and handed it to the Barsen’thor. “This is a list of every test, of every scan, and every procedure that was done on Dromund Kaas. The results are all there. I hope this can ease any worries.”

Zosh’taa turned over the holopad in her hand. “This is… unexpected. Thank you,” she said. She bit her lip, and Lana could tell she was debating on saying something. Lana kept quiet, not wanting to dissuade. “I have… Well, I have a shielding ability. I’m optimistic that it will give Master Surro some comfort.”

“That would be good news, Barsen’thor,” Lana said.

Once Surro stood next to Zosh’taa, the two women embraced warmly. “Let’s get you home to Tython,” Zosh’taa said quietly as she took Surro’s arm.

At her words, Lana’s chest constricted. However weak, Master Surro was a link to Maebry. She and Lana together made the decision to send the Jedi to Dromund Kaas instead of Tython, and now that the reversal was about to happen, that link was about to end. Would Lana ever find another?

The Jedi turned and started walking. “May the Force serve you well,” Lana called out, wanting one last connection with Maebry, however brief. But she wasn’t surprised when neither woman looked back.


	5. Discoveries

“Well, isn’t this just cozy?” Fraeja said, sitting on a bench, a leg dangling over the arm.

Lana looked at Fraeja, trying to hide her annoyance. She had no right to be annoyed. By all means, the former Cipher Nine was being quite generous, offering to hold a meeting on her ship. Ballen Hess, Rane Kovach, and Nessia Tarwin, formerly Watcher Six, all stood around the holoterminal. Most of Fraeja’s crew stood casually in the background, looking like they were ready to help, if needed. But they were all not here. Somewhere on this ship, someone force sensitive was hiding. Once the meeting was over, Lana would do some investigating.

“I was hoping to get an update on the state of Sith Intelligence,” Lana said, placing her hands behind her back. She tried to allude the same confidence she always displayed when dealing with Intelligence. But somehow, she had a feeling that the former cipher could see right through her. During Lana’s brief tenure as Minister of Sith Intelligence, she only spoke to Fraeja once. The Chiss seemed to come and go as she pleased, which Lana did not approve. She much preferred her agents to be more accessible. But if Fraeja would be willing to work with her against Zakuul, Lana would accommodate her as best she could.

Hess and Kovach shared a glance that Lana could only interpret as bad news. “No one has been assigned to replace you, my lord,” Kovach said slowly. “I’ve been doing my best to delegate, but until someone takes over…”

“Two weeks and they haven’t assigned anyone?” Lana asked. This was unfortunate news. This was very, very unfortunate news. She had spent the last two weeks contacting field agents, convincing them to continue to work with her. Most were agreeable, though a few flat out refused, which she could understand. Lana wasn’t attempting a coup, nothing as crude as that, but she did want to make sure that the information the Empire’s field agents gathered went to the place where it would be most useful.

To her.

“From what I can tell, the inmates are finally running the asylum,” Fraeja said with a bright laugh. “The most dysfunctional family to ever function. How did we ever think we’d win a war?”

“That’s enough, Cipher,” Lana said, wanting to take back control of the meeting.

Fraeja wagged a finger at her. “Oh no,” she said. Her voice was light, but any trace of a smile on her face had disappeared. “Do not call me by that title. I do not work for you. I am not one of your agents. I’m willing to work with you. Not for you. I will not work _for_ anyone ever again.”

“Understood,” Lana said, directing her attention away from Fraeja. She would have preferred not to have that discussion in front of the other agents, but best to discover Fraeja’s true motivations earlier, rather than later. The profile Lana had on Fraeja said the woman worked for a strong Empire so that there would be a strong Chiss Ascendancy. Zakuul would threaten the Chiss as well, before the war would end. Lana would be able to use that as leverage at some point.

“You wish us to commit treason,” Tarwin said quietly, in that low mechanical voice of hers. It never failed to send shivers down Lana’s spine. Lana had thought based on Tarwin’s profile that she would be malleable, willing to work with her. But perhaps her conditioning was too strong. Well, Lana had killed agents before. She could do it again, if necessary.

“It’s not treason. It’s not,” Kovach said, shaking his head. “We all want the same thing here. To defeat Zakuul.”

“Thank you, Kovach,” Lana said with a crisp nod. She needed people like Kovach if she had any chance to form a reliable network. “All I’m asking for is information. Provide me what you feel comfortable with, when you feel comfortable. That’s all.”

The room quieted, all attention on Tarwin. The former Watcher nodded once. “That is acceptable.”

Relief flooded over Lana. She had a network, and people on the inside. This would work.

#

“So this is where you’ve been hiding,” Lana said as she walked into the _Phantom_ _’s_ engine room, hands clasped behind her back.

A young woman with light brown skin stared back at her, clearly trying to hide the terror on her face. “Excuse me, my lord, I must be going.”

“I think not,” Lana said easily, holding out her hand to stop the woman. “Your name, please?”

“Raina Temple.”

Lana closed her eyes and allowed the Force to flow through her body. Raina was not powerful in the Force, but it was there, running underneath her skin. “How in the world have you lived this long without the Sith detecting you?”

Raina looked down at the floor, hands folded in front of her, most likely trying to make herself as small as possible. “It hasn’t been without cost, my lord.”

Heartbreak and death radiated from Raina. No small costs indeed. “Your gifts are subtle,” Lana said, an idea forming. In all her years of being Sith, she had never taken an apprentice. She never really wanted one, really. Eventually, she knew, she would have to train some; no lord has any sort of power base without them. But Lana always thought they were more trouble than they were worth. And she had no plan on being killed by an overambitious apprentice.

But an apprentice trained in Intelligence work. Now that was a different story. Suddenly, an apprentice became an asset instead of a potential liability.

“Subtle,” Lana said. “But they could be improved upon.”

Lana’s mind drifted to Maebry. Maebry loved the idea of being a teacher and having padawans. And Lana couldn’t help but think of the relationship that Maebry and Kira Carsen shared, less like student and teacher, but more like sisters, it seemed. Lana wouldn’t mind something like that at all.

Raina still stared at the floor, not moving a muscle. Lana wondered if the woman would defend herself if attacked. The brief look of terror Lana had seen on Raina’s face had vanished, replaced by complete and utter indifference. Fraeja had trained her well.

“Would you like to learn the ways of the Sith?” Lana asked, keeping her voice quiet, reverential, almost. “I could teach you.”

Raina seemed to consider the offer. “If you asked me ten years ago, I would have jumped at the chance, it would have solved a number of problems for me,” she said. “Now… I just want to survive and I don’t think being Sith will help me do that, my lord.” Lana felt disappointment pool in her stomach. Apparently in this brief exchange, she had already raised her hopes. “I thank you for this honor, but I will have to decline.”

“Bold words,” Lana said, crossing her arms over her chest. “You do realize I could justifiably kill you where you stand?”

“I do, my lord,” Raina said, meeting Lana’s eyes for the first time since she entered the room. “But I don’t believe you will. You are practical, from everything I’ve seen. And I am an asset. You don’t waste assets.”

“I see someone’s been paying attention,” Lana said. Raina had Lana’s profile down well.

A brief smile flicked across Raina’s face, so quickly Lana couldn’t be quite sure if it was ever there at all. “Fraeja has a plan for me. I’m going to try to infiltrate Zakuul. I’ve been trained as a covert agent. It’s time to put that training to the test.”

Lana brought out her personal holopad, going into her messenger program. Darmas’ icon was lit, meaning he could accept calls. “I have an agent on Zakuul already,” Lana said. “But more would be quite welcome. I’m going to put you in touch with him, so he can walk you through everything, maybe set you up with an identity.”

Raina’s face lit up; there was no wondering about the smile this time. She was truly a striking young woman. “That would be wonderful,” Raina gushed. She let out a breath. “I’ve been worried, how exactly I would be able to do this, but if someone is already there…”

Lana pressed the holopad screen and a moment, Darmas appeared. _My lord_ , he said, and she could hear exhaustion in his voice.

“Darmas, we’re sending you an assistant,” Lana said. “This is Raina Temple. She’s part of the former Cipher Nine’s crew.”

He bowed at the waist. _Any friend of Sith Intelligence is a friend of mine. Send me Miss Temple_ _’s holofrequency and encryption codes and we can have her on Zakuul in no time._

“Thank you, Darmas, that will be all,” Lana said, ending the call. She turned to Raina. “Just be careful. You can trust Darmas, but I can almost guarantee that he will try to sleep with you.”

Raina raised her eyebrows. “He looks twice my age.”

“That won’t stop him. In fact, it will probably just encourage him,” Lana said with a sigh. “I would set up boundaries straight away.”

“Always a good plan, my lord,” Raina said. She looked towards the door. Even with their new understanding, Lana could tell Raina was eager to leave a Sith’s presence. “I should talk to Fraeja. She’ll want to know what’s happened.”

“Of course,” Lana said. “Thank you, Raina Temple, for taking this on. This is the only way we will beat Zakuul.”

Raina had already made it to the door of the engine room. But she turned and with a crisp salute, said, “For the Empire.”

Lana watched her go, hoping she hadn’t just sent the young agent to her death.

#

“Lord Beniko, we’re almost at the ship.”

It took a moment for Lana to ease out of her meditation. She kept her breathing even as she reminded herself that she was a guest on an unfamiliar ship. The _Phantom_ planned on taking Raina to a neutral space port. From there, the operative would follow Darmas’ instructions to make her way to Zakuul.

After shoring up her contact at Sith Intelligence, instead of going back to her ship, now her mobile headquarters, Lana decided to tag along. The _Phantom_ had limited stealth capabilities, allowing them to make their way to the site of Darth Marr’s flag ship without any notice. The whole thing was a foolish indulgence, but Lana needed to see the ship for herself. She needed to see the last place Maebry had been alive.

“Thank you, Doctor Lokin,” Lana said, raising herself up from her knees. As she straightened the jacket of her armor, she said, “I never did get the chance to thank you for your continued service. I’ve read your Intelligence file. You’ll be an excellent asset.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Lokin said, patting his stomach. “I have some friends left, but not nearly the network you’ve created for yourself. Twenty years ago, I could have been much better help.”

Lana kept her face blank as she studied the doctor. Here was the director of Project Protean, pretending he had no useful contacts. Of course, that was supposed to be a secret; no one was supposed to know the director’s identity. Fortunately Lana had means. Well, let him think he was pulling the wool over her eyes for now. “Any help is greatly appreciated, Doctor.”

Their eyes locked, and Lana could tell by his face that he knew that she knew. These games in intelligence could be so tiring. They were on the same side. Games were counterproductive at this point. Lokin broke eye contact first, which Lana considered a victory. _Not a game, Beniko_ , she reminded herself.

“Let me bring you to the bridge,” Lokin said.

It hadn’t escaped Lana’s notice that since her talk with Raina, she hadn’t been left alone to her own devices. What else could Fraeja’s crew be hiding? Lana already knew there was an anarchist who actively worked against the Empire, as well as a former Ambassador. Lana had been careful of what she said in Vector Hyllus’ earshot, even going as far as asking him not to attend the meeting when she spoke to Intelligence, because of his being Killik. The last thing Lana needed is for sensitive information to be plastered all over the galaxy. Fraeja had tried to explain the hivemind concept, but Lana didn’t even want to risk it.

Fraeja and SCORPIO stood on the bridge, looking at the remains of Darth Marr’s ship.

“And we can’t be seen?” Lana asked as she tried to take in the scene in front of her. The ship was practically a husk. In the two months since it’s destruction, either scavengers or the Zakuul military picked the ship apart.

“Oh we can absolutely be seen,” Fraeja said lightly. “But only if someone bothers to look at a window. The better question to ask is if we will show up on any scanners. And the answer to that is no. Thank the stealth device for that.”

A device which sounded like it could be incredibly useful. “Do you think you could tell me where you procured it?” Lana asked. While she was confident in her ship - it was one retrofitted with an Isotype-5 engine - any advantage she could find, she needed to use. She had speed and agility already. Stealth would practically make her invincible.

“SCORPIO, send Lord Beniko the details, please,” Fraeja said, crossing her arms over her chest. The Chiss turned her focus onto the ship. “I wonder if we could get over onto that bastard.”

“No doubt the Zakuul Empire has already stripped the ship of any intel,” SCORPIO said. “Scavengers will have taken any supplies by now. It would be a waste of time and resources to attempt it.”

“You know me,” Fraeja said with a laugh. “Always willing to waste time and resources on a cause I believe in.”

Lana’s body wanted to reach out, to commune with the Force, but not here. Not in front of strangers. “Fraeja, may I be alone on the bridge for a moment?” Lana asked. No doubt she could order them all off of the bridge. But considering the former Cipher’s earlier words, best to ask permission.

Fraeja appeared to consider the request for a moment before replying, “You may.” She turned to SCORPIO and Lokin. “Come, let’s give our guest some privacy.”

Only seconds passed before Lana stood alone on the bridge. All she could hear were the slight hum of the consoles, all ready to spring into life when needed. Lana considered what to do next. Generally, she would prefer to kneel on the floor and meditate. But that would block her view of the ship. A compromise was reached as Lana settled into one of the bridge seats, giving her a clear view of Darth Marr’s ship.

Two little months ago, Maebry walked the halls of that ship. And if Lana knew her lover at all, probably fought in those halls as well. Jedi or not, Maebry would never go down without trying to take as many of her enemies with her as she could. She pushed that thought away, not wanting to think about Maebry fighting for her life, especially when there was the possibility that she had lost her life on that ship.

Placing her hands on her knees, Lana closed her eyes, thinking of Maebry’s face. She was a beautiful woman, that there was no doubt, but thanks to the heavy scars on her face, so many people overlooked that beauty. Lana never did. She wondered how Maebry came across all of those scars and if Lana would ever have the chance to find out.

Lana continued to breathe, thinking only of Maebry, as she reached out to the Force. As a younger Sith, Lana would have reached out and demanded that the Force subjugate itself to her will. But Lana was older, and perhaps a touch wiser, as well. The Force would not bend itself for anyone. But if you were willing to accept that, then the Force might give you a glance of its secrets.

She felt a tug in her belly, and while she wanted to open her eyes, Lana settled in, digging her fingers into her knees, waiting for clearer direction. Through the Force, she felt fear. Maebry’s, perhaps. Fear and worry, and underneath it all, a sterile presence. The Eternal Empire’s fleet? It seemed impossible that Zakuul had a population large enough to staff every single one of the ships. This sterile presence validated Lana’s hypothesis that the Fleet was automated.

Pushing these barren thoughts to the side, Lana concentrated on the light side of the Force. Maebry had been a Jedi alone on an Imperial ship. Surely it would be possible to find some sliver, some remnant from Maebry’s time on the ship. Lana briefly wondered which one of her companions would have accompanied her. Kira, most likely. Lana didn’t know the others well, only by sight. It might be worth reaching out to them. But then again, Lana wasn’t sure if Maebry had told anyone about their relationship. Kira knew, of that Lana had no doubt, thanks to the way the padawan would glare at her back on Yavin 4. But the others? Lana decided she would check, and see what was being done to facilitate her return from Zakuul. Maebry was one of the most prominent Jedi Masters of the Order. Surely someone from the Republic was looking for her, too.

Then suddenly Lana sensed Maebry through the Force. Only for a moment, and the presence was weak. Oh so weak. But it was there! Lana’s eyes opened, and she had to grip the side of her chair to keep herself from standing. But Maebry’s essence, so dear to Lana, was there, and it washed over her like a gentle kiss.

When Lana finally stood up, she knew three things. First, Maebry was no longer in this system. Second, when she left the system, she was alive. Injured, yes. But _alive._ And lastly, Lana knew that she would not stop until she found Maebry. She would tear down Zakuul, brick by brick, until her lover was safe.


	6. Meet New Friends But Keep the Old

Ord Mantel truly needed better security.

Lana was no expert at forging documents, but surely her crudely made papers warranted some suspicion? But the Customs Officer barely glanced at her ID before waving her along. Or perhaps Lana’s discovered a newly hidden talent, much like slicing.

The spaceport was busy, busier than Lana expected. But in this case, busy was a good thing. Busy meant she could don a hooded jacket and not be noticed. Her lightsaber was hidden but within reach. No one here needed to know a Sith walked among them. Lana wondered how often she would need to repeat that to herself over the coming months. Hiding in plain sight was not something she did well.

But for now, she would hide. She would lay low and collect the information that she needed.

As she headed towards the exit of the spaceport, Lana saw a familiar red and white jacket by the door. Did the man ever wear anything else? Just as well. The jacket did make him easy to find. Theron fell in line next to her as she walked out the door. Their footsteps were in sync as they walked; Lana playing the tourist, looking around and taking in the sights while Theron stared at the ground ahead of him.

They walked through a sea of Republic Army officers. Where there were this many officers, there were usually a Jedi or two. Any Jedi worth their salt would realize she was Sith in a heartbeat. “You might have mentioned the spaceport is in the middle of an army base,” Lana said, not even bothering to hide her irritation. “Somewhere more neutral would have been preferable.”

“Guess it slipped my mind,” Theron said, putting his hands in his jacket pockets. “Come on, the cantina is just ahead. No one will bother us there.”

Would he ever forgive her for Rishi? At this rate, Lana was seriously beginning to doubt it. If what happened there compromised him, made him not be able to work with her, then she would have to consider her options. Theron was her highest level contact in the Republic. Unless she had the chance to cultivate more, she would have to do whatever she could to get their professional relationship back on solid ground.

The cantina was a dark little place, reminding her a great deal of the various Imperial Officer cantinas she had been in over the years. A hutt ball game could be seen on the holoscreen and the patrons crowded around the bar made plenty of noise. Lana let herself relax, only slightly. Even crowded cantinas could hold any number of potential eavesdroppers.

“I know this is more than a social call,” Theron said as they settled in at a small table in the corner of the cantina. “But if you want to compare notes about the last three months, I think I’m going to need a drink.”

“Agreed,” Lana said at once, risking a smile.

Theron returned her offering with a grin of his own. “It’s good to see you,” he said, and to Lana’s surprise, he sounded like he actually meant the words. “Heard there’s a lot of confusion over on your side of the aisle right now.”

Lana let out of breath. “That would be an understatement,” she said. Folding her hands neatly together, she added, “I assume you’re aware my role is not what it was.”

“Might have heard a thing or two,” Theron said, leaning back in his chair. He made a quick motion towards the bar. “What are you drinking? Probably best if I order. Don’t want that fancy Imperial accent of yours to send any warning signs.”

“I did manage to get through security without a problem,” Lana said, in her best imitation of a Republic accent.

“Ord Mantel needs better security.”

“That’s exactly what I thought,” Lana said, holding her hand over her mouth to hide her laugh.

“You always do that,” Theron said, resting his elbows on the table. “Why do you always put your hand in front of your mouth when you laugh? It’s okay to smile, you know.”

Looking down at her hands, Lana said, “Not at the Sith Academy, it isn’t. I suppose I never got out of the habit.” She looked up at him then, and she saw concern in Theron’s eyes. “I really should stop that. There’s been precious little to laugh at over the past few months as it is.”

“Look. Lana,” Theron started, and the sympathy in his voice made her want to cringe. The last thing she wanted was anyone’s pity. He opened his mouth, but the server walked up to the table and Theron ordered. “Two whiskeys, house brand is fine. Neat for the lady and on the rocks for me.”

The server nodded and ambled away. “You remember how I like my drinks,” Lana said, warming slightly at the thought.

“Yeah, well, if I remember right, when we were hiding out there were more than a couple nights where we decided to drink together out of pure boredom,” Theron said, chuckling.

He was right. Lana drank more during those two months when she and Theron were laying low than the previous two years combined. “The downfall of life on the run.”

“Heard an interesting rumor. Heard you might be on the run again,” Theron said, his voice serious. “You’re still alive, so I can’t imagine that they’re actually true.”

She was saved from answering by the timely arrival of the drinks. The server, a bored looking Twi’lek, mixed up their orders before sauntering away. Lana reached across the table to take her whiskey when Theron grabbed her hand. “Let’s look lovey-dovey for a bit,” he said in a low voice. “Gimme your other hand.”

As they talked, Lana had glanced around the cantina, looking for anything suspicious. She found nothing, but she didn’t have eyes in the back of her head. So she put her other hand on the table and tried to relax her shoulders. Someone on a date wouldn’t be tense, after all. “I take it something is wrong.”

“Two o’clock. Someone looks a little too interested in our table,” Theron said, taking her hand. His hand around hers felt unnatural, wrong almost. But perhaps that’s because Lana desperately wanted to hold another set of hands. “I ran a bug check. We’re clear as far as I know.”

“Clear of Republic listening devices-”

“And a whole bunch of neutral ones plus, a few Imperial ones,” Theron said, sounding almost hurt. “But yeah, maybe you should run a search, too. Wouldn’t hurt.”

Lana brought out her personal holopad and scanned the area. “Nothing here,” she said, putting the pad back in her trouser pockets. After taking a sip of whiskey, Lana placed her hand back in Theron’s. “That is horrible whiskey. You owe me a better drink.”

“Put it on my tab,” Theron said with a grin. “So what’s going on your side?”

Keeping her voice low, Lana said, “That rumor you heard is correct, I’m afraid. I’m no longer the Minister of Sith Intelligence. However, I’ve managed to consolidate a bit of a base, and a number of Intelligence personnel will keep me in the loop. My agent on Zakuul-”

“You’ve got someone on planet?” Theron asked, letting out a low whistle. “SIS has been trying, but the first one was killed, and the second one captured.”

Lana resisted the urge to feel smug. Darmas was good, no doubt about it. “Two, actually,” she said, thinking of Raina. “I’m willing to share some general information-”

“Only general information?” Theron asked. He squeezed her hands, not tight or anything of the sort, but enough to reminder her that they were still holding hands. “Okay, I wasn’t going to talk about this, because I haven’t thought it all the way through yet. I’m thinking of leaving the SIS.”

She blinked, wondering where the profile she so carefully constructed on Theron had gone wrong. Never in a million years did she think he would leave the SIS. Her profile suggested that the SIS was the only place he thought of home. “Would you like to talk about it?” she said.

“Yeah, but not here,” he said. “Two o’clock is really getting on my nerves.” Theron let go of her hands and took a couple of quick sips of whiskey. “Damn, you weren’t kidding. I really do owe you a better drink.”

Lana threw back the rest of her drink, trying not to shudder at the sour taste. “You do. My ship is in a hangar in the Orbital Station, and is stocked with a much better selection of alcohol. Why don’t we go there? We’ll be safe there.”

“Drink and talk away our problems,” Theron said with a chuckle. “Just like old times.”

#

“What have you heard about the Jedi?” Theron asks.

Leaning on the arm of the couch, Lana brought up her feet and tucked them underneath her. Moving to her ship had been one of her better ideas. The hangar was hers for another eight hours, meaning they could talk without worry. “I’ve heard they’ve had some serious losses,” she said, her heart fluttering as her mind lingered on Maebry. “I saw the Barsen’thor several months ago. But I don’t have much more information than that.”

“You saw the Barsen’thor?” Theron asked. “How?”

Lana twirled the straw of her drink - she really shouldn’t have more tonight, not if she wanted to remember everything in the morning - and debated whether or not to tell Theron the truth. He had been so _angry_ at her and Maebry because of Master Surro. But if Theron seriously thought about leaving the SIS, he would be absolutely invaluable as an informant. Best to be as truthful as she could be.

“I placed Master Surro back in her care, if you must know,” Lana said. The words had an immediate effect. Theron looked brighter, more alert, even as his posture was casual, legs crossed at the knee, holding a drink. “I worried that without my leverage as Minister of Sith Intelligence…”

“You worried you wouldn’t be able to control the situation?” Theron asked.

“Exactly,” Lana said. “When Mae- when the Master Jedi gave her to my care, I promised her that no harm would come to Master Surro. Instead of reneging on that promise, I choose to bring her back to the Jedi Order.”

Theron let out a sigh that seemed to encompass his entire body. Running a hand over his face, he said, “Thank you. Seriously. Thank you.”

“It was the most logical course of action,” Lana said quietly, letting no warmth into her voice. Hopefully Theron would take that as a sign to change the subject. Of course, Theron being Theron, did not.

“Look, Lana, I’ve been trying to figure out how to say this all night, so I’m just gonna say it,” Theron said, leaning forward in his chair, forearms on his thighs. “I’m sor-”

“Don’t,” Lana cut him off, her tone far more sharp than she intended. She stood, and it took all her effort not to start pacing. At Theron’s look of surprise, she continued, “I know you mean well, and I appreciate the sentiment, but please, _don_ _’t.”_

There were days when Lana was so busy she barely had a moment’s thought about Maebry. But then there were nights when she lay in bed, _aching_ for her lover. But so far, Lana had survived. Because that’s what Sith did. They survived. But no one had actually sympathized with Lana about her loss until now, because no one she had been in contact with besides Theron had known the truth. And somehow, if Theron said those words out loud, that he was sorry, that would make everything a hundred times worse.

It would make Maebry’s disappearance _real._

Lana stilled as Theron put his hand on her shoulder. “Are you doing okay?”

She gave herself a moment to think about the answer. It was a question Lana hadn’t bothered to ask herself in quite some time. She was healthy. While she might not have a career with the Sith right now, she had contacts, and work to be done. Right now, she couldn’t expect any more out of life than that. “As best as one can be, given the circumstances,” Lana said, looking at Theron’s hand, and realizing she appreciated the gesture, as small as it was. “But ask me again in an hour, and I’ll probably have a completely different answer.”

“Fair enough,” Theron said, his voice crisp, almost as if he had a report to give. “Why don’t we talk more shop, then?”

Nodding, Lana sat back down on the couch. Looking at the drink in her hand, she decided she truly did not need one more drop of alcohol in her system, and placed the glass gently on the side table. “So the Jedi,” she said. Her network informed her of the Order’s defeat at a number of planets. If anything, she did respect the Jedi Order for being willing to sacrifice everything for their people. She tried to picture what would cause her to do something similar. For Dromund Kaas? Her family? For love?

For the galaxy?

“The Grandmaster of the Jedi Order has disappeared,” Theron said slowly. “No one has any idea where Satele is. We’ve got agents looking everywhere. Without her… Well, the Jedi Council never built itself back up to full strength. You’d never think the Order would be in chaos, but that’s exactly where they’re at right now.”

Satele Shan. Thanks to Lana and Theron’s many, many, _many_ days in hiding together, she had heard Satele’s name more than once. She knew the story, how Theron was raised in the Jedi Temple, instead of a home. Once, when they had far too much to drink one night, Theron even talked about how hard he tried not to be hurt whenever she rebuked his attempts at some sort of a relationship.

“Where was she last seen?” Lana asked. Surely she could put an agent of her own to work, searching for Satele. The Jedi Order would be absolutely be needed in the fight against Zakuul. And the Jedi Order needed their leader.

Theron let out a laugh, a bitter one. As he plopped down on the couch next to her, he said, “You want to look for her, too? Join the club.” He leaned back his head and let out a sigh, capturing Lana’s mood perfectly. “What are we gonna do, Lana?”

“The question of the night,” Lana said, her mind spinning from a combination of too much alcohol and too many things to worry about at once. “How are the Republic shipyards?”

“Bad. Even Havoc Squad had to pull out. We’re not making new ships any time soon. You?”

“Same,” Lana said, a brief traitorous feeling overcoming her. But she dismissed it at once. This was Theron. She could trust him with the Empire’s secrets, _especially_ , if he planned on leaving the SIS. Best to be forthcoming and hope that he would do the same. “We have several ships retrofitted with Isotope-5 engines, though. We’re hoping that might give us an advantage.”

“Fuck it, I’m having another drink,” Theron said as he stood up.

She would regret this, no doubt, but right now, Lana couldn’t find it in herself to care. For most of her life, she forced herself to stand apart from people, convinced that connections would only cause her harm. But the whole situation with Revan changed her. She didn’t want to be apart any longer, not any more. But of course, just when she had realized that, Lana separated from almost everyone. “Another for me, as well, please.”

Theron nodded approvingly. “Good. Drinking alone is the worst.”

“Agreed,” Lana said with a smile. “Changing the subject, have you heard from Jakarro recently? He’s not responded to any of my messages, and C2-D4 is usually quite prompt at returning my queries.”

“Wait, are you worried about Jakarro?” Theron asked, his eyes wide.

Lana brought her knees up to her chest. Normally, she would never put her shoes on her furniture like this, but tonight warranted an exception. “I don’t know why you’re so surprised,” she said, raising her chin. “He could be a valuable asset.”

“You’re worried about Jakarro,” Theron said, raising his glass. “I’ll drink to that. To Jakarro. We miss you, you big fuzzy bastard.”

She let out a peel of laughter and this time, didn’t even try to cover it up. Oh how she needed tonight, and the chance to relax and talk to a friend. And Theron felt like a friend again, not just an ally. Clinking her glass against his, she added, “And to C2-D4, the former official interpreter of Queen Lina of Onderon”

“Now you’re just showing off, remembering its title when you’re drunk,” Theron said with a snort.

“How did you ever forget with the number of times it said its title over and over?” Lana asked.

Theron leaned back his head on the couch and the mood of the room changed, feeling almost somber. “How in the world are we going to fight Zakuul, Lana?”

That was the question of the day, wasn’t it? Pinching the bridge of her nose, trying to ward off a non-existent headache, Lana said, “It will have to be together,” she said. Her mind started to whirl, started to seriously consider all of the possibilities. She looked at Theron. “Do you mind if I record our conversation for a bit? I will never remember what we talked about in the morning.”

“Asking permission, I’m impressed,” Theron said with a nod. His approval warmed her cheeks a bit. Or perhaps it was the alcohol. Surely the alcohol was the perpetrator. “Go ahead. But only if you promise to send me a copy so I can laugh at how ridiculous we’ll sound.”

“Consider it yours,” Lana said, taking out her personal holopad. With a few keystrokes, the recording function was active. “The Empire isn’t strong enough to take on Zakuul by itself, and I can’t imagine that the Republic is, either. But if we combine forces… Look what we did with the Revanites.”

“Yeah, but I’m still pissed as hell that the Revanites got as strong as they did without anyone realizing,” Theron said. “But you’re right. That’s what we’ll need to do.”

“But if we do continue the Alliance, we’ll need a leader. There is a void in the Empire because of Darth Marr’s death and if Satele is missing-”

“We need the Master Maebry,” Theron said, sitting up, looking more eager than before.

The way he threw out Maebry’s name so casually was a punch to the gut. But that shock loosened her tongue. “I believe she’s still alive,” Lana said quietly. She might have thought it plenty of times since the destruction of Darth Marr’s ship, but this was the first time she said those words out loud. A smidgen of hope bubbled up in Lana’s chest. She tried to shake it loose. She wasn’t ready for hope. Not yet.

Hope terrified her. Yet it would not be dissuaded.

“If she is, we’ll find her,” Theron said as seriously as Lana had ever heard him speak. “I promise.”

And for the first time since this whole nightmare began, Lana let herself believe it might be possible.


	7. Where the Heart is

“Mother, what is this?” Lana asked, staring at what seemed to be an HK droid in her mother’s kitchen.

Her mother sat at the kitchen table, legs crossed at the knee as they sat back in their chair. “You did say I needed protection, did you not? Well, consider this protection.”

Lana tried not to roll her eyes. What was it about this person who made her feel like she was a sullen teenager instead of a woman in her late thirties? “I had hoped you would leave Dromund Kaas,” Lana started, but her mother simply swatted a hand a hand towards her. “Mother-”

“Don’t mother me,” they said, crossing their arms over their chest. “I understood what we were in for once we realized you were Sith. I didn’t leave my home then, and I sure as stars am not going to leave my home now. HK-55 will protect me.”

“Sincerely: My duty is to keep Nala Beniko alive at all costs,” the droid said.

Lana looked over the droid. She had worked with HK units before, but not often. They were top of the line security and her mother must have paid a ridiculous amount of credits in order to procure one. “Please do a perimeter patrol. I don’t believe anyone saw me enter the house, but it would be go to double check.”

“Agreeably: Yes, master.”

Once the droid had left the kitchen, Lana took her mother’s hand. Nala Beniko would be eighty-two years old soon. While they might not get around as they did, there was no denying that their mind was as sharp as ever. They had to be, essentially running the family business single-handedly since Lana’s father had died six years ago at the age of one hundred and one.

Lana always knew growing up that she was a result of birth control gone wrong. Nala and Goeff Beniko had been married for seventeen years before Lana arrived on the scene. The thought never bothered her, not really. But sometimes she had wondered if her parents might have been happier without her. Of course, by age eleven Lana was training at the Sith Academy, so surely a decade of having a child didn’t inconvenience them too much.

“I don’t understand why you’re being so stubborn,” Lana said, squeezing her mother’s hand. “You can run the business from anywhere.”

For close to a year and a half, Lana had been trying to get Nala to leave the planet. And her mother had always refused. Even Lana going so far as not to meet with her mother in person in all that time didn’t help. Lana knew she probably shouldn’t even be here now, but after months and months on the run, never staying in the same sector for more than three days, she could admit that she was tired.

So she gave herself a break. A week on Dromund Kaas, staying with her mother. While she hoped at the end she would feel relaxed and refreshed, Lana somehow couldn’t imagine that ever feeling like that again.

“And I choose to run it from my home,” they said, placing their hand on top of Lana’s. “Child, I know you want to protect me, but I’ve been living on Dromund Kaas, surrounded by Sith for eighty-one years. I know how to play the game.” They pulled back their hands, and folded them on the table. “Besides, ten months have passed since they kicked you out of Intelligence and we’re still both alive.”

Ten months. Ten months since Maebry had disappeared and the war raged around them. Planet after planet had fallen to the might of Zakuul and no one had yet come even close to stopping them. Half a dozen of her agents hadn’t been heard from in the last two months alone. From her contacts in Sith Intelligence, a new minister was in place, one easily ignored, who had no real authority. One development in Lana’s favor, at least. Much less of a chance to be discovered that way.

The Sith were in no better shape. There was the usual bluster of taking the fight to Zakuul, but with what fleet? Moff Pryon, along with any destroyer equipped with the Silencer superweapon had disappeared. As much as it angered her, the Sith would not win this war. Not by themselves. But not even the combined power of the Sith and the Imperial Empire’s military would be enough.

Yet not one single Sith broached the subject of an alliance with the Republic. And Lana knew thanks to Theron that the Republic felt the same way. Theron might now officially be an independent agent, but his contacts were invaluable.

And most importantly, more depressingly really, there had been no sign of Maebry. If Zakuul had taken her prisoner, they certainly weren’t telling anyone. Which simply didn’t make sense. After watching them conduct themselves on the battlefield for almost a year, if Lana learned anything, it was that Emperor Arcann liked to boast about his victories. He made sure the galaxy knew about the worlds he conquered and the ships he destroyed. Lane would have assumed that the new Emperor would be quick to spread the tale of his victory over Maebry.

Those were the worst nights. The nights when Lana tried not to lose hope, fickle as that feeling was. There were nights when Lana would lay in bed, convinced that Maebry was dead, and that Arcann would soon overrun the galaxy. Thankfully those nights did not come often, but they were there.

“True,” Lana admitted. If they had anything, they had their lives. And if they had their lives, they had work to be done. An uncomfortable truth settled onto Lana’s shoulders, and instead of burying it down deep, which would be her most normal course of action, she decided to speak. “I thought the Empire stronger than this.”

Saying the words out loud almost felt like a relief. The Empire she had worked so long for should be better than this. The infighting she kept hearing about was infuriating. The moffs all tried to outmaneuver each other for political gain while the Sith seemed determined to kill each other off in hopes of a Dark Council seat. Ten months and the Council was still only at half strength. Why the Dark Lords refused to act, she simply didn’t know.

“I’ve lived a long time,” her mother said. “And I can tell you in all this time, the Empire has never been strong.” Lana looked up, trying to keep the shock off her face. Her mother never _once_ spoke like that, especially after Lana became Sith. “Oh, I know all the right words to say. ‘Hail to the Emperor’ and not to ever make eye contact with a Sith.” Nala reached out and placed their hand on Lana’s cheek. “Unless it’s your own daughter, of course.”

“But I thought…” Lana trailed off, looking out the nearby kitchen window. Out of all the rooms in her parent’s house, it was always the kitchen she loved the most. Unlike the rest of the house, which had a modern, contemporary feel, the kitchen almost felt cozy.

“Because you’ve been taught to believe that you are better than the rest of us,” her mother said, leaning back in their chair. “Perhaps you are. But even all the Sith in the galaxy doesn’t make the Empire strong. What does the Dark Council care for the colonies, for the regular people just trying to live their lives? We both know the answer is not at all.”

Lana stood up and walked to the sink. In her parent’s home, she wore no armor, just a simple grey dress. The color washed out her skin, made her look almost ghastly, but her options were limited. More and more stores refused to deliver and Lana dared not go out into the city, in case someone recognized her, and sounded the alarm.

“I care,” Lana said, disgusted with herself, that she couldn’t even sound convincing. Maebry would care. Maebry did care. Even back on Rishi, she had taken the time to heal the sick and feed the poor, all while Lana rolled her eyes, thinking that the Jedi wasted her time. So many more important things had been at stake. Even now, Lana focused on the bigger picture, instead of the tiny details Maebry would have noticed.

Perhaps it was time to change that.

Her mother had the decency not to call Lana out on the lie. Nala walked over and stood next to Lana at the sink. With a shock, Lana realized she was now taller than her mother. Old age and a slightly bent back had taken its toll. Lana stood a little straighter, knowing full well in forty-five years, she could look the same.

Nala looked like they wanted to say something, but then their holocom beeped. “That’s the office. They know not to disturb me this week unless it’s an emergency.”

As they left the room, HK-55 marched back in. “Reporting: There is no cause for alarm at this time.”

“HK-55, could you inform me of the security precautions you have in place for Nala?” Lana asked, curious about the lengths her mother might be willing to go.

“Enthusiastically: Of course. I will be happy to share the plan I have in place to protect Master Nala and Beniko Industries.”

Twenty minutes later, Lana sincerely regretted asking that question.

#

The moment Lana’s holopad came alive with a shrill beep, she sat up in bed and shook herself awake. Precious seconds passed while she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, trying to get her bearings. Her old bedroom, in her parent’s house. Once this room had walls painted lavender, Lana’s favorite color growing up. A rainbow colored rag rug had covered wooden floors. She had posters of her favorite animated characters, along with maps. She always did love maps, even as a little girl. Of course, once Lana had been sent to the Sith Temple, Nala redecorated. Now the walls were a light grey and lush black carpet covered the floors. Tasteful modern artwork adorned the walls.

Lana missed her old room, missed the safety it represented. Back when she had been a regular child whose goal was to serve in the military for twelve years, then take her place in the family business. Back then her life had stretched out before her, everything accounted for. But then one morning, all at once, the Force had manifested itself. And Lana lost her lavender room and the future she had thought she wanted.

The beeping became more persistent. A priority call from her network. Not bothering to run a hand through her hair, Lana answered the call.

_My lord, Darmas here. I apologize for the timing; I know it_ _’s the middle of the night in Kaas City._

“It’s fine, Darmas. I know you wouldn’t message like this unless it was important,” Lana said, sounding far more alert than she felt. “What is the matter?”

_I was playing a game of sabaac with a military man, here on Zakuul. He might have been over-served, just a tad. I will have to discuss the matter with the barkeep when I have a chance._

Lana wanted to scream, to tell Darmas to get to the point. But she knew better than to rush the man, being in love with the sound of his voice as he was. Instead, she stood up, grateful she wore a simple set of cotton pajamas to bed tonight, instead of her usual tank top and underwear. Crossing her arms, she waited for Darmas to tell his tale.

_The good man informed me that the Emperor of Zakuul has decided to switch tactics. They_ _’ve had enough of outright force and plan to attack economically. This means-_

“A blockade,” Lana whispered. Arcann was crafty, far more devious than she had given him credit for. The capital planets of the Imperial Empire and the Republic relied on trade. Vibrant trade. Without trade, the planets would be weakened considerably. And if the Eternal Fleet was on the way to Dromund Kaas… “Darmas, as always, your information is exactly what is needed. I will contact you again once I’m off Dromund Kaas.”

_I have a social arrangement that simply can_ _’t be rescheduled, my lord. Miss Temple will be able to provide further details. She’s been absolutely invaluable._

“Of course,” Lana said, grabbing her duffel bag. She had never unpacked, exactly for this very purpose, just on the off chance she would need to leave in the middle of the night. “I’ll be in touch.”

_For the Empire._

Lana shut off her holopad and started changing. A list of a million things she needed to accomplish crossed her mind. She had at least three agents on Dromund Kaas at this time. Two of them she would like to get off planet. Having mobility would be absolutely _vital._ Again, Lana thanked the stars that Sith Intelligence upgraded her personal shuttle to an Isotope-5 engine back when she had been Minister. Without that, she would never be able to outrun the Eternal Fleet.

Less than five minutes passed before Lana was in her armor, duffel bag on her shoulder. Once in the hallway, she debated whether or not to wake Nala, whether the extra time was worth the hurt feelings her mother would surely have.

Her mother was a light sleeper. They might have already heard the commotion in Lana’s room. Decision made, Lana knocked on Nala’s door. “Mother?” she said softly.

“Hmm?” Nala said, sitting up at once, eyes alert.

“Mother, I need to leave Dromund Kaas, this very instance, but I wanted to say goodbye first,” Lana said. “And thank you.”

Nala took a risk, letting Lana stay in their house, no doubt about it. Being back in a place where Lana was welcome, where she was _loved_ , meant more to her than she could ever express through words. Actions would have to be enough, and getting off of Dromund Kaas before a blockade was set, might just be the best thing she could ever do for her mother. But then she thought of one more thing.

“Very shortly, _very_ shortly, the Eternal Empire will begin a blockade of Dromund Kaas. I’m assuming the business has contingency plans for such an event?” At her mother’s careful, slow nod, Lana continued. “Now is the time to put those contingency plans into motion.”

Her mother all but jumped out of bed, with far more energy than Lana thought possible. They grabbed their holopad off their nightstand - like mother, like daughter - but stopped. Lana stayed still while they walked over to her, and took her hands. They never had a relationship where hugs and kisses were traded freely, put a simple mother’s touch made Lana relax, allowing her to stop and _breathe._

“This person you love, they’re good to you?” Nala asked.

Lana blinked back her surprised. “How did…”

“I’ve known you for thirty-seven years, Lana. You don’t think I wouldn’t recognize when my own daughter was in love for the first time?” Nala asked, a brow arched. “Are they good to you?”

“She was, yes,” Lana said softly, thinking of Maebry’s smile. “But it’s quite complicated.”

“It always is,” her mother said with a smile, making them look younger than their eighty-one years. “It wouldn’t be you if it there weren’t complications.” Lana stilled while her mother stood on tip toes to kiss her on the forehead. “I’ve wasted enough of your time. Now go save the galaxy.”

Lana let out a laugh, one she didn’t cover up with a hand. “I’ll do my best,” she said.

Nala stood back with a satisfied look on their face. “You’re my daughter. I would expect nothing less.”

#

No moon shined down on her tonight. A boon, Lana decided as she walked into the private hangar for Beniko Industries. The security guards on patrol all knew her, knew to look the other way when she approached. She only had to hope that the salary the company paid them was more than any bounty on her head.

Even in the middle of the night, the humidity of the planet clung to her skin, seeping deep inside her pores. She pushed her hair out of her face - she really should grow it out - and stopped at a railing overlooking Kaas City.

There was a sense of finality settling over Lana. She had the strangest feeling that she would not see Dromund Kaas again. At least not any time soon. The prospect saddened her. For thirty-seven years, no matter where she lived, whether Hoth or Korriban or the Vaiken Spacedock, Kaas City was her _home._

And now she was leaving.

This sentimentality slowed her down. Foolish to indulge in such impractically. Lana needed to be off of the planet yesterday, not mooning of what would be. Hoisting her duffel bag over her shoulder, she turned and headed towards her shuttle, wondering if she could somehow make the shuttle into a home instead of simply a place to stay. The portside door opened and Lana took one more breath of the muggy jungle air. For the next days, weeks, months, years, a lifetime, she would be on her ship, breathing recycled air and drinking recycled water.

But it wasn’t a place she wanted as a home at all, was it? She wanted Maebry, she wanted _Maebry_ to be her home, not a shuttle nor a city. Almost a year had passed since Lana had seen Maebry, since she somehow had managed to fall in love with a Jedi of all people.

A Jedi who might only be alive in Lana’s dreams. She had not been able to find that spark again. And even with Darmas and Raina making discreet inquiries, there had been no sign of Maebry anywhere. That wouldn’t do, not at all. Lana needed to know if Maebry was still alive. If she wasn’t…

Lana would just have to go to Zakuul and see for herself.


	8. Know When to Fold 'em

Balance.

Lana’s eyes closed as her shuttle approached Zakuul. Not once in thirty-eight years in this galaxy had she ever experienced a sensation like this. The Force… She felt no light. She felt no dark. All she felt was the Force, rippling over her soul, over her very being. Neither light nor dark tugged at her conscious, leaving only the purest feelings of the Force.

It was _glorious._

Her console beeped, letting her know it was time for the course change. Darmas had provided an excellent direction on how to arrive on Zakuul without attracting anyone’s notice, even securing her a private hangar for her shuttle with forged paperwork. She would still be Lana, but with the last name of Wycome. And during her time on Zakuul, she no longer was born in Kaas City, instead born in Garven, a small village on the southern hemisphere of the planet. A village hardly worth the Spire’s notice.

She hoped she’d be below the Spire’s notice as well. The time had come to start learning about Zakuul from her own perspective, instead of relying on second hand information. Her plan, assuming the new identity held, was to live on the planet for at least three months. Here she would continue to make contact with her network, while discovering as much as she could. A secondary goal, which she told no one, was to search for Maebry.

If her lover lived, Zakuul was where she would be, of this Lana had no doubt. She just needed to find the time to meditate and search. Of course, that was easier said than done.

Opening her eyes, Lana watched the flow of air traffic around the Spire. She had seen holos of the place, but seeing it in person, seeing it tower above the cloud line, was something all together different. Begrudgingly, she could admit it was impressive. Very. Even more so than the Citadel on Dromund Kaas, which always took her breath away, even more so when she had worked in the building itself.

She followed Darmas’ instructions to the letter, and before long, started the landing procedures in a hangar that clearly had seen better days. Perhaps that was why Darmas felt comfortable sending her here. Once the shuttle was on the ground, Lana headed back to her small cabin. On the bed lay her duffel bag. A duffel bag that currently held all of her worldly possessions. A year ago, before her dismissal from Sith Intelligence, she had a small apartment in Kaas City. One just grand enough for her position. As much as she hated it, the game had to be played.

Ballen Haes had been kind enough to send an agent to check her apartment. A couple lived there now, and Intelligence couldn’t spare the time to find out who ordered the displacement. It still rankled. She had several important mementos, some artifacts she had been particularly proud of, all gone. Some day, when the Eternal Empire learned its place, she would discover who had stolen from her. And Lana would take back what was hers.

But for now, she had a duffel bag. And her holopad. Sentimentality washed over her, just the thought that she might now be on the same planet that Maebry resided… Lana turned on her holopad and brought up the holo of her and Maebry, standing next to each other, simply looking happy. Gone where the days where she worried about deleting the holo, in her holopad it would stay. No longer being Minister of Sith Intelligence did have some advantages.

Throwing the duffel bag over her shoulder, Lana did one last quick check, certain she had everything needed. It was time to learn the lay of the land.

#

Under usual circumstances, Lana very much enjoyed puzzles. One of her preferred methods of entertainment were logic puzzles or word play or even physical puzzles, the more pieces the better. After being on Zakuul for only three days, the planet was still quite the puzzle. But this was not a puzzle Lana enjoyed. Not one bit.

How could none of the Knights she had come close to realize she was Force sensitive? If Lana wasn’t completely confident in her own ability in the Force, she would be insulted that not a single Knight looked her way. Perhaps it was different for Knights than the Sith. Non-Sith Force users were so rare - Raina Temple was an amazing exception - Lana assumed that it would be the same for Knights. Could she be wrong? Could a Force user on Zakuul have the choice to serve or not?

A puzzle. One of many here on Zakuul that needed investigation.

It felt strange, walking among the people of the Spire. She could shut her eyes and easily imagine that she was in Kaas City. The sounds, the smells. They were all the same. Even language. All she heard was basic. It would seem that Vitiate spared nothing when it came to elevating the people of Zakuul. He had plundered from the entire galaxy for this small Empire. Language, technology, even architecture. All taken from other planets. Lana didn’t know if she should be infuriated or impressed.

Though right now, possibly being on the same planet as Maebry and having no idea where she might be? Fury suited Lana perfectly at the moment.

“Now, it’s best if you don’t speak too much,” Darmas said as they walked through the streets of the Spire. Her hand was nestled in the crook of his arm, having agreed to the ridiculous cover of being a girlfriend. But the cover meant she could stay in his residence without anyone questioning her. The less scrutiny her papers went through, the better. Thankfully, Darmas had yet to take any sort of advantage of their roles. She suspected he might not, especially if he wanted to keep all of his essential appendages.

“Why shouldn’t I speak?” Lana asked, trying not to be insulted. While she might not have any field agent of cipher experience, she had been the Minister of Sith Intelligence for several months. That had to count for something. It’s not like she would spill out all of her darkest secrets to a random stranger.

Darmas reached across and patted her hand, a move that felt more paternal than anything else. “Your accent,” he said. “It’s a bit too posh for this cantina. People will wonder why a woman from the small village of Garven speaks with such a metropolitan accent.”

“I can somewhat fake a Republic accent,” Lana said, understanding the man’s point.

He shook his head. “Best never to fake an accent unless you’re sure. It’s why I never bothered with an Imperial one all these years.” He stopped suddenly and Lana followed his gaze. A cantina stood across the street. “Now, you sure you’re up for this? You don’t want to take a few more days to get to know the planet better?”

“I came to Zakuul to learn,” Lana said, smoothing out some non-existent wrinkles in her skirt. “Best I get started.”

Darmas chuckled as they started to walk again. “I hope your card skills are up to the test,” he said, opening the door to the cantina. “After you, my dear.”

Lana and cards were not the best of friends, but she would somehow manage. Taking Darmas’ arm again, they walked into the cantina. Darmas seemed to be on a first name basis with almost everyone in the cantina. His performance was one to watch, the way he shook hands and introduced her to people. Never talking to someone for more than a few seconds, before moving on to the next person. 

“I’ve my room, but not enough pull to have my own server. Ordering drinks from the bar like a charlatan will have to do,” Darmas said, shaking his head. His voice lowered slightly. “Am I correct in assuming you’d prefer a watered down drink?”

She nodded. In a cantina like this, not having a drink would be noticed. As Lana was here only to get a better sense of the Eternal Empire, most certainly did not want to be noticed. Pretending to be Darmas’ flavor of the day, was bad enough, though he assured her she was just one of many, so her presence might not even be noticed. Somehow, that felt even worse.

“Two of your specials, my friend,” Darmas said to the barkeep, sliding over a credit chit. The bartender didn’t even look up, just started mixing the drinks. Almost no time passed at all before two tumblers full of brown liquid appeared in front of them. With mock salute, Darmas said, “Many thanks.”

Lana picked up her drink and followed Darmas into a small room off to the side. He had told her once of his private cantina booth on Coruscant. A full-sized sabacc table with plenty of room for people to watch the games. This room was nothing like that. Small and cramped with just one circular table in the center. Three people already sat at the table. All human. One was from the Overwatch, if her uniform told the right story. The other two were well-dressed, with what Lana had learned to be the latest Zakuulan fashion. She had seen remarkably similar outfits last year in Kaas City.

“Darmas,” the woman in the Overwatch uniform said, practically purring. “We were going to start a game without you.”

“We can’t have that, can we?” Darmas asked, pulling out a chair for Lana. “May I introduce my lovely companion, Lana Wycome? She’s visiting for a bit, and I promised to show her the best place on Zakuul to play cards.” A scowl appeared on the woman’s face. No doubt she had interest in Darmas herself. The other two just looked bored. “My dear, this is Captain Heathcliff of the Overwatch. And then we have Bert Durgan and Jayson Smothen. Two of the craftiest businessmen you’ll ever meet.”

Taking Darmas’ warning to heed, Lana simply nodded her head. He sat down, and just like that, he was in command of the room. It never ceased to amaze her the way Cipher agents were able to work. More and more, she was grateful Darmas was willing to provide her information, instead of just working for Sith Intelligence.

“Stop the flattery,” Durgan said, shoving a pack of cards towards Darmas. “Deal the damn cards.”

“So how did you two meet?” the captain asked, resting her chin on her hand, giving Lana a pointed look. “He’s not mentioned you before.”

“A romantic meeting for the ages, it was not,” Darmas said with a laugh as he shuffled the cards. “But truly, you don’t want to be bored by our story. Tell me, Uma, what have you been up to lately?”

Captain Heathcliff - Uma - brightened at once thanks to the question. “We’ve been working on some new security protocols. Tayvor, excuse me, I mean Commander Slen seems to think I’ve come up with some clever ideas.”

Darmas started dealing the cards, each motion smooth and graceful. “Of course he does. It’s about time they recognized your potential over there,” he said. Then to the rest of the group, he added, “We’ll just be playing a regular hand of sabac this round. Ms. Wycome’s faults are few, but she hasn’t taken the time to learn the game yet. Perhaps, Mister Smothen, you might be willing to offer her some tips?”

Lana looked over to Smothen, who looked to be about Darmas’ age, perhaps a bit younger. Dark skin with greying hair, and an air of superiority around him. “Any friend of Darmas’ is a friend of mine,” he said, his voice gravely.

“Thank you,” Lana said quietly. No one made any move or notice towards her at the sound of her voice, which she had to imagine was a good sign.

“Smothen, why don’t you tell Ms. Wycome about the business deal you just signed with the Zakuulan army,” Darmas said as he picked up his cards. “Ms. Wycome is quite interested in business ventures. Supplying technicians for a new initiative the army has. Star Fortresses. Should be very exciting.”

Lana picked her own cards up. She had an two flasks, a Star of Coins, an Idiot of the Evil One, and two Staves. Not the best hand in the galaxy, but she would work with what she had been dealt.

“Always happen to share my knowledge,” Smothen said, leaning in slightly.

She froze, never truly liking being physically close to strangers. Taking Darmas’ arm as they walked through the streets of the Spire was one thing. A stranger put his hand on her knee was something all together different.

“Smothen, you sly rascal, hands on the table where I can see them. You know that’s the rule when I’m dealing,” Darmas said. Lana could sense a hint of steel behind his words and she wondered what set him off. That Smothen put his hand on her knee or that Darmas thought the man might be cheating at cards.

The game went smoothly after that. Lana purposely lost round after round, simply listening. Once Durgan left, two more took his place. The amount of information passed from person to person over the table was extraordinary. Every so often, someone would mention something and Darmas would say he wanted to write that down, to not forget. The whole evening he made notes, and no one but her was ever the wiser.

It was two o’clock in the morning before the last person left. “How in the galaxy do you do this every night?” Lana asked.

“Years and years of practice, my lord,” Darmas said, his shoulders somewhat slumped. “Now I’ll go back to my humble abode and write up notes for two hours. Hopefully you understand now why I don’t leave my room until lunch time.”

She had wondered about that, but now it made perfect sense. “Sith Intelligence doesn’t pay you nearly enough.”

“That, my lord, is something you and I will alway be in agreement.”

#

_My lord? Are you there?_

“Ballen?” Lana asked, sitting upright in her chair in her small room. It took her a moment to gather her wits; she must have fallen asleep quite soundly. “I’m here. What is it?”

Never once in all the time she had known Ballen, formerly Watcher Three, had he ever taken the initiative. His psychological profile suggested he was most happy when other took the lead and told him what to do. A strange trait for a former Watcher, but he made it work. For him to contact her, on his own, was quite unlike him. Lana could only assume that something was wrong. Hopefully not terribly so.

_Sorry to bother you, my lord. But I felt like I needed to tell someone_ …

By now, Lana was fully awake, pushing the books of Zakuulan lore out of sight. More than a month had passed since she arrived on Zakuul, but the myths and lore never seemed to end. There was always one more book to read or one more story to be told. There were times she thought she would never learn what she needed to know. “You’ve become invaluable to my network, Ballen,” Lana said, which was only the truth. Without his files from Sith Intelligence, she wouldn’t be nearly as informed. “If you have something to say, I’m happy to listen.”

_Thank you._ Ballen put his hands behind his back, looking as if he were ready to provide a debrief. _I worry someone in Intelligence is working with the Republic._

Lana went very still. No one in Intelligence knew of her current partnership with Theron. And she’d like to think that if Theron had a contact in Sith Intelligence, he would have told her. Trust did go two ways, after all. And he did still needle her about Rishi often enough. “Why do you think this?” she asked quietly.

She wondered why the idea bothered her so much. Technically, it was what she wanted. Imperial and Republic, working together to fight the Eternal Empire. Yet even though she had not stepped foot on the Citadel in almost a year, she had her finger on the pulse of Intelligence. Thanks to Ballen and Rane and Nessia, Lana still effectively was a part of Intelligence, just working from the outside. If any of them were working with the Republic, she would know, she was sure of it.

Which meant someone was trying to work outside her system, which didn’t please Lana at all.

_I_ _’ve got a program that runs through all communication leaving Intelligence. Someone, more than once, has sent signals to Republic space. Someone very talented has tried to scrub all traces of that communication._

Lana indulged in a smile. “But not talented enough?” she asked, raising a brown.

_It_ _’s the program that does the work,_ Ballen said. Even through the holocom, Lana could tell he was blushing. _I just interpret the reports._

“Of course, Ballen. But I’m assuming you created this program?” she asked. He nodded, not meeting her eye. “Take credit of your accomplishments. If you don’t, someone else surely will.”

_Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord._

There were two types of people in the Imperial Empire. Those intimidated by Sith and those who weren’t. Ballen, she suspected, would always be in the former. “Now, do you have any idea who this person might be?” she asked. Most of the workers in Intelligence she could trust. If Ballen could figure out who, then Lana could decide whether or not to bring them into the fold. If it were one of the handful she couldn’t trust? Well, she had borrowed Darth Tormen’s pet bounty hunter before. She could do it again.

_Not yet. But I_ _’ll keep checking. Not that I’m complaining, but we’re being run ragged here in Intelligence. Sooner or later, they’ll make a mistake._

Lana heeded the warning - conscious or not - in his words. “That goes for you as well. I need you to take care of yourself, Ballen,” she said.

_I_ _’m trying,_ he said with a bit of a sigh. _Some days are harder than others._

“For us all,” Lana said. “Is there anything else? Will I still get your scheduled report in three days?”

Ballen shook his head. _That_ _’s all, my lord. I just wanted to keep you informed. You’ll have the report._

“Thank you, Ballen,” Lana said. She glanced a clock, set to Kaas City time. “It’s nearly midnight. I suggest you get some sleep.”

_Right away, my lord._

He disappeared from Lana’s holo and she leaned back in her chair, mind racing from one face to the next. Rif? Helja? Just who might the informant be? Better question still. Were they friend or foe? It pained her not to have the answer, but eventually, she would. She had no doubt about that. The only questions would be long long would it take?

And how would she be able to best take advantage?


	9. The Parade

Lana looked down, realized her knuckles were almost white, and let go of the railing of the balcony. The balcony looked over one of the busiest streets in the Spire. Citizens of Zakuul lined the streets, all here for the parade celebrating the completion of the very first Star Fortress, up above Belsavis. A test run, they said. And if successful, they would expand the program to other worlds. No world would be safe from the Emperor’s new toys.

And the people of Zakuul ate it up; they looked for any chance to take a day off from work and celebrate. So they all milled around on the street and balconies, waiting for a glimpse of their Emperor.

Just like Lana.

After being on Zakuul for more than three months, Lana decided it was time. She needed to see this man in person. Even if it was from a balcony of a hotel room as he passed by in an armored skycar. She needed to get a sense of who this man was.

“Water?”

Raina Temple’s voice broke through Lana’s thoughts. “Yes, please,” Lana said, reaching out for one of the glasses the young woman held.

“The pageantry is something else, isn’t it?” Raina asked, leaning against the railing. Lana looked down at the street, where the parade had begun. Right now dancers in color costumes moved fluidly though the streets. In the distance, she could see a large puppet, almost two stories tall, of one of the Zakuulan gods. Tyth, she believed. “It’s quite beautiful, in a stark, unforgiving sort of way.” She smiled, chuckling at some sort of private joke. “So glad I decided to visit dear old Dad and stay for University.”

With Darmas being safely away in his cantina, now with his own private server, Lana felt safe to speak. “That really is a brilliant cover story,” she said.

“I remembered your warning about Darmas. He tried to convince me that he wasn’t old enough to be a grown woman’s daughter. Thought being a girlfriend would be more convincing,” Raina said with a roll of her eyes. “So I showed up at the cantina, telling everyone about my father. I don’t have to worry about him flirting with me. At least in public.”

“And in private?” Lana asked, letting a bit of steel enter her voice. Desperately needed Cipher or not, if he made unwarranted advances towards his fellow agent, she would have something to say about it.

Waving her hand, Raina said, “Nothing I couldn’t handle. We’ve come to an agreement.”

“Good,” Lana said with a nod. The disappointment she had felt back on the _Phantom_ returned; she would have very much liked to have trained this young woman. But the Force does as the Force does.

The god of Rage worked its way past the balcony and the cheers became louder. “There’s Vaylin,” Raina said. “She’s very pretty. You know, in all my research, I can’t find any information on who their mother is. It’s like they sprouted out of the ground one day.”

Lana looked over the railing down at the young woman, sitting on an elaborate float. She looked younger than Maebry, and Maebry was young. _Too young,_ a voice whispered in Lana’s head. She pushed the voice away. This really wasn’t the time for this line of thought. When they had met, Maebry had been twenty-four to Lana’s thirty-seven. A bit of a difference, yes, but assuming she still lived - _please let her live_ \- Maebry would be catching up all the time.

Vaylin looked up then, and suddenly Lana was overcome with a sense that she should not be seen. Without hesitating, Lana dropped down on one knee, below the sight line of the balcony. She couldn’t even begin to quantify the power radiating off of the High Justice. If Lana concentrated for any amount of time on Vaylin below, she could feel the pulse pounding in her temple. How could one person be so powerful?

“My lord?” Raina asked, sounding confused. Lana didn’t blame her. Here Lana knelt, cowering just from Vaylin’s presence.

“I’m fine,” Lana said, trying to keep her voice calm and balanced. This wouldn’t do, she decided. Taking a deep breath, Lana stood up and looked back down on the street. Vaylin’s float had passed, but the echos of her power remained. If Vaylin was this strong, Lana couldn’t begin to imagine how power Emperor Arcann would be. Lana gripped the edge of the railing, preparing herself for when Arcann passed.

The cheers grew louder and Lana craned her neck, trying to get a glimpse of the Emperor of the Eternal Empire. A year and a half ago, when she had been Minister of Sith Intelligence, Arcann and his dead brother, Thexan’s face haunted her dreams after the attack on Korriban. Even now, she could picture his face perfectly with her eyes closed. Of course, back then she hadn’t realized who he was or the threat he contained.

His float came into view. Emperor Arcann stood in the middle of a plain white platform. No lavish decorations like his sister’s. Just him, standing tall with his hands behind his back. Lana waited for the influx of the Force, of his power… And was left wanting. Of the two siblings, Vaylin was clearly stronger in the Force. It left Lana with a mystery. Was it simply age why Arcann was Emperor and Vaylin not Empress? She respected a clear hierarchy, but she wondered if some day Vaylin might not be satisfied with the role of High Justice. Not when her power clearly overshadowed her brother’s. Of course, raw power in the Force did not meant ability in the Force. Perhaps that was the difference. Surely Arcann could wield the Force more than his sister.

Lana briefly wondered if she’d ever find out.

#

“I’ve brought you a few you a few more restricted holopads to read,” Raina said, placing three holopads on the table. “I wish you were willing to go to the university library, my lord. They have books. Real paper books, hundreds of years old.”

Lana looked up from the text she had been reading and reached out for her cup of tea. The mug was long cold, so she stood, ready to make another cup. “Tea?” she asked. Raina shook her head and sat down at the kitchen table in Darmas’ residence. “My identification papers aren’t quite as good as yours. The less scrutiny they go through, the better.”

Raina picked up the holopad Lana had been reading. “The Gravestone?” she asked. “Sound ominous.”

“It was a ship,” Lana said as she put a kettle on the stove. “Apparently tried to fight the Eternal Fleet.”

“Too bad it didn’t win,” Raina said, resting her chin on hand. “What I’ve got you are some books on Nahut. I’m still trying to figure out why exactly he’s the Hated Son. What could he have done that’s so bard? I’m told there are some manuscripts in the Spire University of the West. I may have to go over there and check.”

“I’ve heard from various sources that the Spire University of the West is the nemesis of Valkorian College,” Lana said with a smile.

Raina nodded. “It will be a sacrifice. Any proper Valky will tell you that. But for knowledge’s sake, I’m willing to go,” she said, placing her hand over her heart. “Best go do my work. It’s been quite fun, living the life of a student. I never had the chance to go to university when I was young. But I could really do without the homework.”

Lana watched as Raina picked up her holopads and went off to her room. Darmas had already left for the cantina, meaning Lana had some privacy for a bit. Deciding to take advantage, she stood up and stretched her arms over her head, reveling in how she could feel her spine lengthening as she did. As she walked to the center of the small sitting room, Lana gathered her thoughts, focusing on the Force.

As she settled on her knees, Lana’s thoughts changed to Maebry. Each day while she meditated, she focused on a different emotion, hoping that one singular emotion might help her find that spark of life Lana had felt back by the wreckage of Darth Marr’s flagship. Yesterday, she tried anger, remembering the irrational anger she had felt towards her lover when Lana had discovered Maebry on Ziost. Ziost had been _Lana_ _’s_ situation, _her_ mess to control. And having Maebry appear as if she could solve everything, caused a fury in Lana’s belly.

But it did not make the spark appear.

Tonight, though, tonight she would try a different tactic. Fear.

In her studies of the Force, Lana had paid particular attention to the feats of the Dread Masters, even as they languished in a prison on Belsavis. While Lana had felt no joy or grief at the news of their demise on Oricon, she had mourned the potential of knowledge lost. Fear dominated everything the Dread Masters had done. Perhaps it would find Maebry.

She thought of Rakata Prime, when Lana couldn’t be certain if Maebry had escaped Revan’s bombardment of the planet. They had barely even known each other then, but their connection couldn’t be denied. She thought of Yavin 4, watching Maebry leave for the temple, the only chance they had to stop a madman. And she thought about now. About how every day, she feared she would never see Maebry again. Never feel Maebry’s skin under her palms. Never press her lips to Maebry’s. Never again.

Fear started to consume her, to overwhelm her, even. Every day since Maebry’s disappearance, Lana had worked towards finding her lover, and finding a way to defeat Zakuul. What if she failed? What if she never found her? What if Zakuul overtook the galaxy? Against those odds, what could Lana do? Even if they found Maebry, could one person truly save the galaxy? Her heart wanted to say yes, wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but the fear of _no_ kept her silent.

For close to an hour, Lana searched the Force. By the end, sweat beaded her brow and she could have sworn she was shaking slightly. But finally she opened her eyes, and accepted that once again, she had not found Maebry’s essence in the Force. If she breathed, if her heart still beat, Lana very much doubted she was on Zakuul.

#

Lana stepped into an empty training room. She came to the gym by recommendation of Darmas, who reserved block of time where she could train alone once a week. One of the drawbacks of Zakuul was not being able to practice her martial skills with others. Fighting did not come easily to Lana. Yes, she could draw down lightning from the sky, but actual combat with a lightsaber was a weakness of hers. And she did not appreciate weakness.

Her mind briefly lingered on Maebry, and the first time Lana had seen her in combat. She had heard stories, of course. There was hardly a Sith alive who hadn’t heard stories of the fabled Jedi Master. But seeing it in person in the fight against Revan… With her duel sabers, Maebry had flown through the air effortlessly. And Lana had realized she was in love for the first time of her life.

After six months on Zakuul, Lana had her practice routine down. She started with simple stretches and practicing her forms and rings of defense. Then she would move on to training dummies, though Lana always felt unsatisfied after. Staring down a training dummy hardly ever mollified her.

Stopping mid-form, Lana rolled her shoulders. Everything simply felt _off_ recently. Perhaps she had been away from Imperial space too long. Six months was an incredibly long time for her to be anywhere, let alone in enemy territory. Perhaps it was time to leave Zakuul. She had learned a great deal, thanks to Raina’s help and access to libraries. Yet it wasn’t enough to learn about the people of her enemy. She needed to be out there, working to protect the people of the galaxy from a tyrant.

She would leave Zakuul.

Decision made, Lana stood, but her glance fell on a weapons rack in the corner with several training poles. Her eyes continually strayed towards them; the lightsaber poles intrigued her. From the reports she had received when the Eternal Empire attacked, the Sith stationed on Korriban had a great deal of trouble figuring out how to devise a defense against them. And no doubt she would be in combat against them as well. Perhaps this could be a start to learning how to defeat them.

Placing her lightsaber in its holster on her hip, Lana walked over to the poles. One stood out, one not quite as tall as her. She picked it up, amazed at how awkward it felt in her hands. Yet she had seen holovids of the Knights fighting. Lana would never consider them anything but fluid when they fought. Part of her wondered if she would ever.

Weapons had never been her focus as an apprentice; Lana had been much more interested learning about the secrets of the Force. Holding the training pole in her hand, Lana cursed herself for not taking more classes on Korriban when she had the opportunity. To try to defend against this weapons as she would a lightsaber would mean her death. She took a breath, and tried to think of the weapon as an extension of her arm.

It wasn’t. Clearly.

A tiny sliver of Lana wanted to rebel, to give up even trying because she surely wasn’t going to ever be the best. But Lana told that part of her brain, the part that always needed to be the best, always to be the one that stood out, to shut it. Thankfully, the part of her brain that appreciated a challenge, that looked forward to learning new things, quickly took over.

Lana lost track of time as she sparred with the training dummy. Muscles she didn’t need to use with a lightsaber started aching. A good sign. She would conquer the training pole, just as she would conquer any Knights who dared to stand against her.

The door opened and Lana dropped the training pole like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. In walked a woman, at least ten years old than Lana, her hair back in a sensible bun. But what caught Lana’s attention at once were the elegant implants in her forehead. Lana had only seen one other with implants like those, High Justice Vaylin. The two looked fairly similar, too. A relation, perhaps?

“Excuse me,” the woman said, a smile at her lips. “I have this room reserved this hour.”

“Apologies,” Lana said, leaning down to pick up the pole. “Let me just tidy up.”

“Practicing with a saber pole?” the woman asked. The question was so conversational it almost startled Lana. “I’ve never enjoyed that weapon. Give me a good old fashioned lightsaber any day.” To punctuate the remark, the woman drew her lightsaber, causing a shiver down Lana’s spine. She did not relish the thought of needing to fight her way out of the fitness facility. “Are you a Knight, then? I don’t recognize you.”

“No, not a Knight,” Lana said as she placed the training pole on the weapons rack, being careful not to turn her back towards the woman. Her papers would never hold up to in-depth scrutiny, if this woman decided to challenge her. Best not to make any claims that could be easily shot down.

The woman’s eyes lit up. “A Jedi. Or… what was the other type? A Sith? I’ve heard some have managed to make it past the blockades. You’re either very brave or very stupid.”

Lana chose to say nothing, not wanting to give out any more information about herself. Any capable Force User would be able to tell Lana was Force Sensitive. Best not to be called out on a lie. She had to admit, though, she was intrigued by this woman. Most of the Knights Lana had come across during her time on Zakuul weren’t nearly as personable. They had a sense of sameness that was almost distressing, especially when she compared them to the diversity of the

“Nothing to say?” the woman asked, raising a brow. “Well, good thing I can tell your intentions aren’t to cause me harm.”

Deciding to keep up the game, more so to see the woman’s reaction than any real desire on her own behalf, Lana kept silent.

“Oh, I see how it is,” the woman said, her voice lined with amusement. “Fine. I wasn’t in the talking mood anyway. I came here to fight.”

Lana gave a respectful nod of her head then started towards the exit. She needed to pass right by the woman to leave the door. As she passed, Lana felt a familiar tug in the Force. What’s more, Lana was certain the woman felt it, too.

They would meet again, of that Lana had no doubt. But as friends? Or foes? That was the only question on Lana’s mind and the Force was being infuriatingly vague on the matter, as it could be sometimes.

As quietly as she could, Lana closed the door behind her, leaving the woman to her training. Once Lana was sure that no one followed her, she went to the closest convenience store, needing a bottle of water. Her plan had been to drink plenty of water in a sauna at the fitness center, but it would be best to leave now, when she could. Whatever the Force had in store for her and that Knight would have to wait another day.

Thankfully, the store was not busy, and before long, Lana sat on bench, her legs stretched out before her. Her body recovering from the hour workout, she took her time, drinking the water, and taking in what details she could. Propaganda droned on in the background, telling of Zakuul’s latest victories, though none of the citizens seemed to give any notice.

Just as she was about to stand, Lana heard the excited beeps of an astromech droid. Plenty ran around the Spire, but this one rolled towards her at an alarming rate. But then she noticed a few markings on the casings. _It couldn_ _’t be…_

The droid came right up to Lana and twirled around. _T7 = amazed to see Lana Beniko // T7 = searching for Master Maebry_

 


	10. When Pirates Attack

“Now in the future, teeseven, please don’t say Maebry’s name in public,” Lana said, trying to keep any frustration out of her voice. Back on Rishi, Maebry mentioned that her astromech droid was, as she put it, a sensitive soul. It was not up to Lana whether or not droids had souls, but the last thing she wanted was to offend teeseven after just meeting it again.

_T7 = sorry for worrying // People of Zakuul = do not understand T7_

Well, that was interesting. Lana had brought teeseven back to her room in Darmas’ small apartment. The room barely had enough space for a single bed, so Lana sat crossed-legged on the floor to be closer to teeseven’s height, giving the droid as much space as it wanted to roll back and forth and twirl. “No one speaks Astromech on Zakuul? I’ve seen others on the planet.”

_People of Zakuul = speak to other droids // T7 = unique on Zakuul_

“Can you still interact with the computer interface’s, though?” At teeseven’s affirming beep, Lana folded her hands in her lap and tried to think. She had spent some time trying to slice into various ports for information. Military information. While her skills had certainly become more than just average, teeseven would be able to surpass anything she attempted. Just as she was going to launch into a series of questions, teeseven leaned forward, almost as if it were sad.

Sensitive soul, indeed. To Lana, droids were tools, nothing more. But Maebry cared for this droid almost more than anything else in the galaxy. The least Lana could do was respect that. “Teeseven, are you alright?”

The droid perked up, if a droid could do such a thing. _T7 = missing Maebry // T7 = failure_

“You are absolutely not a failure, teeseven,” Lana said, wondering how this had become her life, how she was sitting on the floor of a safe house in enemy territory, comforting a droid. “I’ve been searching for Maebry for almost…”

How in the galaxy had a year and a half passed since Zakuul’s invasion? And even more than that since Ziost, since the last time she had seen Maebry. And Lana wasn’t any closer to figuring out the key to defeating the Eternal Empire than she had been before. If anything, she was in a worse position, stripped of her status as Minister of Sith Intelligence. Yet her networks were still in place, and she still received vital information. She still _mattered._ Suddenly, she felt a kinship for the droid that wasn’t there before.

“We’re going to find her, teeseven,” Lana said, reaching out and patting it on its head. Teeseven chirped and spun once. “Tell me, what of Maebry’s other companions?”

Once started on the subject of Maebry’s companions, the droid didn’t want to stop. Lana learned that Kira had been assigned to Tython, which seemed a poor match. The young woman didn’t have nearly the temperament to stay in one location for all that long, especially in a place where the rules actually needed to be followed. Sergeant Rusk had been assigned to another unit, despite his request to continue his work with the Jedi Order. Doc went back to his old life, whatever that meant. Lana had no patience for that man, thanks to his unwanted advances when they met for the first time.

The mystery that concerned Lana the most was Lord Scourge. She remembered him from Yavin 4. How could she forget? There was something almost predatory in the way he had looked at Maebry and the way he continually talked about her destiny. At the time, Lana had even felt the sting of jealously, assuming the two had been lovers at one point, due to the way he acted towards the Jedi. But Maebry had told her emphatically that they had not.

And now the dark lord had disappeared. Lana had heard no whispers of the former Wrath being in Sith territory; she would have to check with Theron to see if he might be in Republic space. No doubt if the current Wrath had heard of his location, she might go after him herself. Surely Lord Scourge had experienced the same shock to his system Lana had when Vitiate had been killed? He must know his old master was dead, thus filling the prophecy he had seemed so obsessed about.

It was a mystery and Lana did not particularly care for mysteries.

“And what about you, teeseven?” Lana asked. She found herself surprised at being so interested in Maebry’s companion’s whereabouts. But perhaps that shouldn’t be so surprising. Maebry cared for these people, deeply. And anything that Maebry cared about… Lana decided to try to keep an eye on Maebry’s companions. If- When they found Maebry, surely she’d want her favored friends back by her side as soon as possible. “Who sent you to Zakuul?”

_T7 = on its own // Republic = issued no orders_

“I find that very hard to believe,” Lana said, bringing her knees up to her chest. “From what Maebry has told me, you’ve been invaluable to her. I’m absolutely amazed the Republic hasn’t recalled you.”

It was a worrying sign, to be honest. The idea that the Republic could let a droid like teeseven disappear from their grasp did not bode well. However, the Republic’s loss might be her gain. She had no need for a personal astromech droid, but there was no denying teeseven’s help could be quite the boon. There was the personal aspect as well. Teeseven, well, teeseven seemed _lonely_ , if that was even possible for a droid. If she went on her way, and one day Maebry discovered that Lana had a chance to help the droid and didn’t, she might be disappointed.

How truly smitten Lana was, even after all this time.

“I’m going to be leaving Zakuul soon,” Lana said. “Would you like to travel with me?” The droid gave a query for more information. “Now think about this carefully. I’ll be mainly operating in Imperial space. However I do have Republic contacts. I’m sure you remember Theron.”

_T7 = accepts offer // T7 + Lana Beniko= great team_

“Alright, then,” Lana said. It might be nice to travel with a companion of her own. While these past six month had been productive, Lana had to admit the thrill of heading back into the unknown was quite alluring. She would need to shore up some of her contacts and attempt to make new ones. The question was where to find them? However that would be a mission for another day. “Do you have anything you need to finish up on Zakuul?”

Teeseven swiveled back and forth in a negative.

“Then we leave tomorrow, my friend.”

#

“Unidentified space station, my ship is damaged and is need of repair,” Lana, watching the space station come into view. The place looked awkwardly put together, as if someone haphazardly decided to put on random parts. But if they had a repair facility, as far as Lana was concerned, they should be awarded every achievement in design ever made.

She hadn’t expected space pirates.

Six months ago, when she had made the trip to Zakuul, there had been no issues getting to the planet. A Zakuulan ship had patrolled the hyperlanes, ensuring a smooth journey. This time? The moment she entered the hyperlane, damn space pirates ambushed her. If not for the quick thinking of teeseven, Lana didn’t want to think about the state her ship might be. While she might easily be able to beat space pirates in a proper fight, face to face, her shuttle was no match for their ships.

_What_ _’s the password?_

Lana raised her brow. Of all the responses she expected, that was not one of them. “Excuse me, station? The password?”

_No password, no berth._

Lana leaned back in her seat, not sure of what to do. In the condition her shuttle was in presently, she didn’t think she could make the journey to the next closest space station. It was here or nowhere.

Teeseven started chirping and connected its port into her shuttle’s mainframe. “I hope you have better luck than I do,” Lana said, crossing her legs at the knee. The spaceport clearly had some light defenses. Choosing to land without permission would be foolhardy. The droid was her only hope. Her decision to bring it along more and more looked to be the right choice.

_T7 = understands space station // Asylum = safe harbor_

“A safe harbor from what?” Lana asked quietly.

_Asylum = free of the emperor // Enemies of Zakuul = flee here_

Lana didn’t even try to keep the smile off of her face. From her time on Zakuul, she studied all about the Scions, a Force-sensitive sect who believed in destiny and that they alone could see the future. Fate like they believed was rubbish, as far as Lana was concerned. But to leave Zakuul in hope of contacts only to find herself at a space station full of people who might help? She couldn’t have planned this better if she tried.

_Alright, stranger. Your droid has the password. Proceed to docking bay Seven-A No funny business._

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Lana replied at once, straightening up in her seat. “Thank you for your hospitality. Are there work crews I might hire for repairs?”

_A rep will be waiting in the dock. Asylum out._

“Good job, teeseven,” Lana said. The station requested control for the docking procedure, which Lana quickly granted. As the shuttled docked, she headed towards her small quarters, searching for anything that might be of value. The last thing she needed was for a member of the repair team to become a bit too curious about her belongings. What did it say about her that it wasn’t jewels or luxurious clothing she placed in her shuttle’s vault, but holopads full of notes and holobooks on Zakuul’s history? A space station where the oppressed came to escape Arcann’s rule might not be appreciative of her many books of Zakuulan history.

Once the station confirmed her shuttle was docked properly, Lana looked out into the docking bay, wondering if anyone would attempt to board her ship. Before traveling to Zakuul, she had stopped at many a port with reputations the opposite of stellar. More than once, she had been met by ‘customs’ or ‘security’ or some other scheme. Criminals trying their best to shakedown weary travelers. She never killed any - Lana understood they were trying to earn a living in their own strange way - but a little bit of pressure on a windpipe never truly hurt anyone. As long as it wasn’t for very long.

However, she needn’t had worried. The only person in her dock was the promised rep, an older human woman with streaks of grey in what once was must have been bright red hair. “Name’s Jolia. Just saying this up front, we got no new parts. Everything’s used, but I’ve got good kids doing the repair work.”

“I’m sure that will be fine,” Lana said. A price was agreed on for the diagnostic with a full estimate. “Is there anywhere I can go for a drink while you work?” The last thing Lana wanted was a drink, but cantinas were full of people who spoke without inhibition, and more importantly, loudly.

Jolia shrugged, her focus on the holopad in her hands. “Couple of places. Don’t wander too far off, though. You get further from the docks and there’s some bad people.”

A criminal element wasn’t surprising, but being warned of it was. “I’ll keep that in mind,” Lana said. She found herself curious about the woman, wondered if she stayed here on Asylum because she rebelled against Arcann’s rule. Perhaps later Lana could make a discreet inquiry. But for now, she would let the woman work.

Lana walked towards the dock’s exit, teeseven rolling along next to her. “Are you up for some investigation work?” she asked the droid quietly. “I’d like to know who runs this station and how they earn enough credits to keep its existence a secret.”

_T7 = happy to help // T7 = start searching_

Teeseven rolled off, chirping happily. Lana was beginning to understand why Maebry kept it around for so long. Without it’s help after the attack, she didn’t even want to think what would have happened.

Placing her lightsaber under her coat, where it was hidden, yet accessible, Lana walked into Asylum. She tried to keep an open mind as she took in the poverty and general uncleanliness of the station. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a directory of some sort, full of bright adverts. The Golden Thackal seemed to be the largest cantina on the port, so that was Lana was headed.

As she walked towards the cantina, she overheard bits and pieces of conversations. Not all of them were enemies of Zakuul. Some were genuine refugees with young children, with absolutely no place to go. It made no sense. Lana had lived on Zakuul. The people there had wanted for nothing. Yes, some had more than others, that happened in every type of economy, no matter how idealistic society tried to be. So why would these refugees on Asylum be driven off of Zakuul? Another mystery to solve.

The Golden Thackal was bright and loud, just like cantinas all over the galaxy. Lana ordered a house whiskey from the bar before settling at a corner table, one with plenty of patrons nearby. As she took a sip of whiskey, she set up her holopad, which had one of the best eavesdropping programs available, onto the table. She entered a few key words: Arcann, Zakuul, Empire. The program started, listening to all of the conversations around her. Once a key word was spoken, the program would give her a transcript to read.

After only five minutes of reading transcripts, Lana decided she needed to stay on the station for as long as she could. The only issue was that this was no vacation spot. No one would believe if she decided to stay here of her own free will. This was the type of place where people got in, did what they need to do, then got out. Lana needed more time than that.

Lana’s comm beeped, and she smiled, the answer to her query right in front of her. She turned on the comm, and Jolia appeared. _This is going cost some scratch._

“I have the credits,” Lana said, trying not to think of her bank account. Her mother had been in touch recently. Thanks to the ongoing blockade, stocks everywhere were down, causing issues with almost all of Lana’s investments. A trip to the International Banking Clan might be in order. “How long will the repairs take?”

_Two days at least._

“And if I were to ask you to take four days, how much would that cost?” Lana asked.

The woman shrugged. _I_ _’ve got other jobs my gals can work on in the meantime. Same price._

Lana raised her eyebrows. She had expected Jolia to charge double the rate. It was what any self-respecting person in the Imperial Empire would do. One thing Lana didn’t expect to find out here on Asylum was an honest person. Perhaps there were others. Of course, that was when she thought of Maebry, and how her lover would never assume the worst of human nature. Maybe Lana would try that approach.

“There will be a bonus for you if you take five,” Lana said. She needed to talk to Theron. This was the type of place she wanted him not just to hear about, but actually see. If he was somewhere in the core worlds, he could get out here in five days easily.

_Done. I_ _’ll give you an update in three days. You need to sleep in the ship?_

“I assume there’s lodgings on the station?”

_Yeah, but they_ _’re not fancy, if you’re wanting fancy. You look like the type of person who wants fancy._

“That won’t be an issue. I look forward to hearing from you three days,” Lana said. She turned off her comm, threw back her drink in case anyone was watching, and stood up.

Finding lodgings was not difficult. However Jolia was not exaggerating when she spoke about the sparseness of the room. Lana and teeseven would barely fit. But she would manage. Now that she had some privacy, Lana could contact Theron. She brought up her comm.

“Theron?”

Theron appeared on her holocom as he was busy putting on a shirt, his ridiculous red jacket nowhere to be seen. _Lana? It_ _’s late here. What’s up?_

“Thank you for picking up the link, then,” Lana said. Theron looked worse for wear than the last time she saw him, almost eight months ago at this point. Then again, he almost always looked worse for wear each time they met.

_I know better than not to take-_ Theron looked away from the comm. _You leaving? You don_ _’t have to leave._ Crossing his arms over his chest, Theron shook his head, still focusing on someone that Lana couldn’t see. _Yeah, you damn well better call me, Balkar. Stay safe._

Lana put her hand over her mouth, trying to hide a smile. “Theron…” When Theron seemed to be very interested in something on the ground in front of him, she said, “When we were in exile, did we not have at least three drunken conversations about how you were never going to sleep with Jonas Balkar again? That you wanted a real relationship at some point and when you were ready, that relationship would absolutely not be with Jonas Balkar?”

Theron finally turned his focus onto the comm. _How in the world do you remember all of that? We were_ drunk.

“I have a very good memory,” Lana said, raising a brow. “I’m surprised you’ve forgotten.”

_Let_ _’s just not talk about this. You got me on the link. Something must be important, right? Let’s talk about important things which don’t include my sex life._

“I suppose we can switch to a more interesting subject,” Lana said slowly, content to tease Theron a bit.

_Hey there, it_ _’s plenty interesting, Beniko, just not important to anyone who isn’t me. You were saying?_

“Are you able to tear yourself away from whatever work you’re doing. I’d like you to meet me somewhere,” Lana said. She looked up, a feeling of hope threatening to appear. Within the last seventy-two hours, she found teeseven and Asylum. She must be doing something right.

_Wouldn_ _’t mind a bit of a vacation._

“It’s a shadow port called Asylum in Wild Space. I’m sending you the encrypted coordinates now,” she said, her voice light as air. “Theron, I think I’ve found exactly the sort of people and place we’ve been searching for.”

Theron grabbed his jacket and put it on, grinning the entire time. _Give me the details. I_ _’m listening._


	11. Scouting Party

“You realize this place stinks, right?” Theron said as a greeting.

Lana ignored the remark, even though he spoke no lies. Asylum had an unpleasant odor that could not be denied. “I’m glad you’re here, Theron,” she said, clasping her hands behind her back. “I’ve been anxious to show you the place.”

“I’m more curious about your time on Zakuul,” Theron said, putting his hands in his pockets. “How in the world did you manage to stay there for six months?”

They started walking, long strides but not fast enough to attract attention. In her few days on Asylum, Lana had learned how not to be noticed. Dull color clothing, no visible weapon, and hunched shoulders went a very long way. Though Theron with his brightly colored jacket and blasters on each hip stood out completely. He really needed to lose the jacket.

“It was quite enlightening,” Lana said. “This entire war is simply to stroke Arcann’s ego. The common people don’t care whatsoever, as long as their entertainment queues are full and their droids continue to do all the work. I think a great deal of them don’t even seem to realize that the Eternal Empire is at war.”

Theron scoffed, a sentiment Lana completely understood. “I’m assuming there’s a cantina where we can talk?” he asked.

“There is,” Lana said. “But first there is someone looking forward to speaking with you.”

Lana indulged in a slight smile at the confused look on Theron’s face. “Didn’t realize you had friends on the station already,” he said.

“I have friends everywhere, Theron,” she said. Which was not quite a lie. While it was true Lana had contacts almost everywhere in the galaxy, she wouldn’t call them friends. Truth be told, she could only think of two people she considered close enough to be friends. One standing next to her and the other missing in action. But to Lana, friends were a luxury, not a necessity in life.

They walked down a corridor full of market stalls and food vendors. And at the agreed upon location, stood teeseven. The droid started twirling around when it came into view.

_T7 = pleased to see Theron // Theron = help Lana Beniko + T7?_

“You have got to be kidding me,” Theron said, kneeling down to be at the droid’s height. “Teeseven, it’s great to see you, buddy. Where in the world have you been?”

_T7 = searched on Zakuul // T7 = work with Lana Beniko now_

“Lana, I cannot believe you found teeseven before the SIS did,” Theron said. “We’ve been wondering where you went off to, teeseven.”

Teeseven swayed from side to side. “Teeseven managed to make it all the way to Zakuul by itself,” Lana said, patting teeseven on the head. “It’s a very brave droid.”

If droid’s could blush, that’s what exactly what teeseven did, followed by a few beeps of appreciation.

“That’s pretty damn amazing,” Theron said. “You probably made it to Zakuul before the SIS managed to get an agent on planet.” He turned to Lana. “Thanks for passing those tips from your man down there. Balkar was able to get them to the SIS without anyone being the wiser.”

“You’re welcome. Just goes to show that we’re truly all on the same side. Very separate sides. But the same one, nevertheless,” Lana said. She quickly looked around, worried that they had lingered too long in the corridor. “Touching of a reunion as this is, I think it best if we don’t draw attention to ourselves here. Why don’t we convene to the cantina?”

“Good idea,” Theron said, standing up. “Join us, teeseven?”

_T7 = searching for information on Asylum // T7 = anxious to continue_

The droid had been searching day and night for information on the owner or operation of Asylum. So far, it had no luck, but eventually it had to make a breakthrough. Preferably before they left the station. Lana hoped it would have some luck; she was anxious to discover the identity in case they might be useful.

“Just you and me, then, Beniko,” Theron said. He looked down at the droid. “Let us know if you find anything.”

This would be a perfect opportunity to show a level of trust. “Teeseven, please provide Theron with all the information you’ve found so far.”

Teeseven beeped affirmative and rolled off. Theron had a slight smile on his face and Lana tried to ignore the warmth settling in her stomach. If seeing a friendly face caused this much of a reaction, perhaps she had been on Zakuul for too long. “I’ve seen reports from the Republic,” Lana said, clasping her hands behind her back as they headed towards the cantina. “Does the Senate seriously plan on brokering a treaty with Zakuul without Saresh’s approval?”

“Doubt it,” Theron said, his voice grim. “None of them have a backbone enough to do anything without her direct say so.”

“Time to start taking some action?” Lana asked. She breathed deeply, ignoring the stench. “I had hoped learning about Zakuul, it’s history, would help. It hasn’t. No one seems willing to do anything to stop the Eternal Empire. On either side. It’s maddening.”

The cantina was dark and quiet when they entered. A scattering of beings sat at tables; not a soul looked up as they entered. Just how Lana liked it. At the bar she ordered two bourbons while Theron grabbed a table, the same one Lana choose the first time she had visited the cantina. Perhaps she’s becoming more of a secret agent than she’d like to admit.

She brought the drinks to the table - neat for her, on the rocks for him - as Theron was undoubtedly setting up an anti-eavedropping program. “You really need to stop watering down your drinks,” Lana said as she sat down.

“I’ll drink you under the table any day of the week,” Theron said, still working on his holopad. “Just not in a place like this.”

“Fair enough,” Lana said, taking a sip of the bourbon. A bit sour, but it would do. Time to get to the heart of the matter. “It’s not just the Republic who’s talking treaties.” Theron’s eyes grew wide, but she continued. “I don’t know whether or not to believe it, but a source I have in the government says there are mutterings. I’m sure you can gather that this would be done without the Dark Council’s approval.”

“All three of them?” Theron said, scoffing. “Your government makes no sense.”

“As if the Republic was any better. Pretending to be all about democracy and equality when your senators are practically the most corrupt of all,” Lana said, crossing her arms over her chest. The Imperial Empire wasn’t perfect, she knew that. One day she’d love to see the end of slavery. It made far more sense to pay workers a sensible wage and earn their loyalty than to consider workers disposable. But that wasn’t her fight at the moment. Her fight was with Zakuul.

Theron held up his hands. “We really going to argue over politics in the middle of a shadowport?” he asked.

Lana wanted to remind him that he started the rebuffs, but that would only waste time. “Of course not,” she said quietly. “There are far more important things to discuss. Such as the station. It’s large. It’s neutral. And it’s location is a secret. What better place for a headquarters for our Alliance?”

He ran a hand over his face and Lana decided against mentioning the obvious. Theron looked absolutely exhausted. “I don’t know, Lana,” he said. “I don’t like the idea of being so dependent on someone else. What if the owners decide to close up shop some day?”

“It’s not like we have the resources to build a space station of our own,” Lana said. She hated to admit it, but Theron was right. As convenient as this could be as a ready made headquarters, it wouldn’t work long term. Lana drummed her fingers on the table. She had been so blinded by finding this little haven in Wild Space that she stopped thinking of other options. “A planetside headquarters would work best, would it not? Much more defensible.”

“Now you’re thinking,” Theron said, leaning forward, a grin on his face. “Somewhere close enough to Zakuul to get there quickly but far enough away so they can’t find us easily.” He blew out some air through his lips. “Know anywhere like that?”

Lana shook her head. “Once I make contact with my network, reassure some people, I can take the time to search a search,” she said. She thought back to Zakuul, to how peaceful the planet was, thanks to the neutrality of the Force there. Surely she could find another planet like it? If their Alliance took hold, they would need both Jedi and Sith. A neutral planet would be a boon, would allow both factions to be comfortable, and show that the Alliance did not favor light or dark over the other.

“That’s a pretty big job, Lana,” Theron said. “Scouting planets takes a lot of time.”

“Time is a currency I find myself with an abundance of,” Lana said. “Eventually, we’ll need to recruit more people. We’ll need an army. It will go better if we can tell them we’ll have a base of operations.”

Theron took a sip of his drink. “Be even better when we find Master Maebry. Seems ridiculous to pin all of our hopes on one person, but I just can’t see this working without her.”

Lana’s gut twisted, like it usually did when she thought about Maebry. On Zakuul, she reached out through the Force, almost every day, searching for her lover. But that spark, her essence so dear to Lana, had all but disappeared. It was maddening, knowing the trail ended on Zakuul yet not being able to find any other clues. For all Lana knew, they had been on the same planet, yet the Force managed not to give away Maebry’s location, no matter how long Lana negotiated for it. It was _maddening._

“Lana?” Theron asked. He sounded concerned, which was worrisome. Lana didn’t like the idea of her face revealing her emotions. She never had. “Do you… Do you still think she’s alive?”

She looked away, trying to keep her breathing even. “I believe so. But I cannot be certain. Not anymore.”

“Kriff,” Theron said.Thankfully he had the sense not to show any sympathy. “We need someone on the inside. Someone other than our spies.”

“A Knight would be best,” Lana agreed. “I’ll have my people start making discreet inquiries. Anyone in the military would be helpful. Perhaps even someone from the Overwatch.”

Theron nodded. “I need to get back to my ship, talk to a couple of people. Why don’t we meet again in a couple of hours? You can give me that tour and then we can grab some dinner. Saw a couple of food stands I wouldn’t mind trying.”

Lana found herself laughing, something she hadn’t done in some time. “You and food. It never changes, does it?”

“You know, just for that, Beniko, I’m not going to give you any dirt on Jonas and me,” Theron said. But then he stood up and threw back the rest of his drink. “Scratch that. You know what will be even worse? When we have dinner, I’m going to lay down every sordid detail and then you’re going to wish you never called me out here.”

“If we’re going to talk about your love life, I’ll make sure to bring plenty of drinks,” Lana said, smiling. “We’ll need them.”

#

The sudden scream from a woman caught Lana’s attention. While waiting to meet Theron, she walked the seedier areas of Asylum, places where gangs ruled with an iron fist and where plenty of black market trades took place. Mostly, she was left alone, content to mind her own business as she scoured the area.

This scream changed that. This was a scream of pain and terror, and Lana found her heart beating a little faster as she headed towards the commotion. Already she was chastising herself. No good would come of this; the best thing she could do is turn and walk away. But of the things that truly infuriated her in the galaxy, a man beating up on a defenseless woman was near the very top.

“Stop this!” Lana yelled out the very same moment someone else cried, “Don’t you dare!”

Lana brought out her lightsaber without activating it even as she extended her arm, placing the human in a stasis hold. It seemed someone else decided to play good samaritan along side her.

Almost without her own volition her fingers curved, and Lana raised the human in choke hold. Her body wanted to scream out in relief. It had been so long, too long, since she had allowed herself to properly channel her anger. The dark side of the Force vibrated through her body, loud enough she was certain everyone around her could feel it.

After all, while she hid it well - sometimes going so far as to keep it from herself - at her core, Lana was _very_ angry right now.

The only person Lana had ever loved had been captured by Eternal Empire, with no hint of her whereabout. The Sith Empire had all but crumbled underneath the pressure of war. Darth Ravage was dead, killed in a skirmish so minor the man ought to be ashamed. Darth Imperius had disappeared; no one had heard from him in months. And instead of filling the Dark Council with new Sith, Sith who might be able to come up with some sort of comprehensive plan, like Lana, the seats languished empty. Leaving Lana on the outside, desperately trying to cobble together some sort of Alliance with hardly any resources except her wits.

Out of the corner of her eye, the good samaritan helped the young Zabrack woman up off the floor. She paid no attention to the crowd that gathered around her little display, only focusing on the human in front of her. He tried to get out of the hold, hands clawing at his neck and feet kicking wildly. They always tried to get out of the hold. Idiot. It would be so easy to simply crush his windpipe and cleanse another piece of filth off of this station. And for a long moment, what she wanted, more than anything in the galaxy, was to kill this man. She wanted…

But then she heard the distinct sound of a blaster targeting program.

“That’s enough. Let him down.”

So surprised at being challenged, Lana let go of the hold. The man felt to the ground, coughing up a fit. “If you ever lay another hand on a woman like that, I will find you, and you will regret it,” she told the man.

Like all bullies, he cowered when someone stood up to him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he said in a wheezy voice as he practically all but crawled away.

Lana didn’t bother to watch him leave. The man wasn’t worth the brain cells. Besides, she had a different sort of problem on her hands now. She turned to the side, seeing the good samaritan clearly for the first time. A human around her own age, maybe slightly older. Darker skin with amber colored eyes. Lana found herself thinking he was fairly attractive, but pushed those thoughts away. This was neither the time nor place.

But his most prominent feature was the military-grade blaster in his hands, and a look in his eye that told her he wouldn’t be afraid to use that weapon in the slightest. Well, this was not to be Lana’s day to die, she knew that much for certain. She made no move against the man, but instead activated her lightsaber.

Most of the onlookers scattered, as Lana expected they would. However, two people standing directly behind the man with the blaster took a step closer. Compatriots, she decided.

“Shit,” the blue haired woman said. “Captain, what the fuck-”

“Tora, Len, head back to the ship. Get it prepped.” The man with the blaster clearly was the leader of this little group. He had an air of command about him. The two humans behind him obeyed him at once. Lana let them go.

“I don’t want to kill you,” Lana said. Which was the truth. The good samaritan tried to save that woman, just as she did. Reaching out with the Force, she tried to get a read on him. Neither light nor dark. But she could sense the loyalty he had towards his crew. Zakuulan military. She was sure of it. If the military had made it to Asylum, perhaps the place wasn’t secure as she hoped.

“Good,” the man said. He flashed her a grin, almost completely disarming her. Here she was, threatening the man with a lightsaber and he smiled? Sometimes she truly didn’t understand people. “I really don’t want to be killed. But if you’re here scouting for Senya, we have a serious problem on our hands.”

The tension that had built in her shoulders eased a bit. This was obviously a case of mistaken identity. She could handle that. “I have no idea who Senya is,” she said as honestly as she could.

The man all but rolled his eyes at her. “Sure you don’t. Everything that I’ve heard, all the Knights know Senya. And somehow you don’t?”

The pieces came together quickly after that. This man was former Zakuulan military. He had to be. And if he was running from the Knights… Well, the enemy of my enemy and all that.

As deliberately as she could, Lana turned off her lightsaber. “I’m not a Knight,” she said, putting her hands up in the air so he understood she would not harm him. “And I would very much like to talk with you.”

The man lower his blaster, just slightly, but enough that Lana counted it as a victory. “Just as it happens, I like to talk,” he said, bringing down the weapon ever further. His voice betrayed his curiosity. “My crew would tell you I don’t know how to shut up.”

Lana took a step forward, wondering if he would raise the blaster again. He didn’t. She took another, so they were within arms length. “Lana Beniko,” she said, extending her hand towards him.

He shook it at once. “Koth Vortena.”

“Why don’t we go to a noisy cantina where we can have some privacy?” she asked, holstering her lightsaber. “I’d like to buy you a drink.”


	12. A Beginning

“So if you’re not a Knight, what are you?” Koth asked as he took a sip of his beer. Lana couldn’t help but notice that his other hand stayed in his lap, probably close to his weapon. They clearly weren’t trusting each other yet. Understandable, given the circumstances. After all, her lightsaber was within easy reach.

“How much do you know about the people that you’ve conquered?” Lana asked.

Koth shrugged. “Not all that much, honestly. Someone out there killed our Emperor, though. So can’t say I like any of them too much.”

It took all of Lana’s control not to shudder. She had to remember to that the common Zakuulan, Valkorian was practically a god. Of course they would be upset that he had been killed by an Outlander’s hand. His assassination still didn’t make sense, though. Not if Maebry was the feared Outlander. Maebry had confronted Vitiate twice before and each time she had tried to redeem the man, bring him into the light, kicking and screaming if need be. Why would she have killed him this time? The only thing Lana could think of was for self-defense, yet that didn’t even add up.

“Yes, well-” Lana stopped herself. Going on about the nature of Valkorian and Vitiate would be an easy way to alienate her new contact. Best not to speak of that for now. “So there are two main sides: the Imperial Empire and the Republic. Each side has their own Force users, different from the Knights and Scions, but we all use the same Force.”

“And what are you?” Koth asked.

More time passed than Lana liked before she finally answered, “I am Sith.”

Was she though? She had no master. No apprentices. She was reviled by the Dark Council. Worse, Lana hoped to help both the Imperial Empire and the Republic. Wanting to help the Republic was treason in the Imperial Empire’s mind. Could she truthfully call herself Sith any longer? But she pushed those thoughts aside for now. This absolutely was not the time for self-reflection.

“They’re the bad ones, right?” Koth asked, not looking nearly as enthused as he did a moment ago.

Lana folded her hands on the table, trying hard not to sigh. “That’s a very simplistic viewpoint,” she said slowly. “Sith focus on the dark side of the Force, which we believe is more powerful than the light side. That doesn’t make us evil.”

“Didn’t mean to offend,” he said before taking another sip.

“No offense taken,” Lana said. Somehow she managed not to launch into a complex explanation of the intricacies of the Force, which she was want to do when confronted with ignorance. Time and place, she reminded herself. This was neither. “As I’m sure you can imagine, I want to protect my people. I want to protect the galaxy from…” She lingered off, hoping Koth would take the bait.

Koth put down his beer. “I get that. Arcann’s become a damn tyrant. Zakuul is better than- Than what it’s become,” he said, leaning forward as he rested his forearms on the table.

Lana couldn’t help but notice that both hands were out of his lap now. The first sign of trust. She could work with that. “Sounds like there’s a story there.”

“Alright,” he said, shaking his head. “Got to start somewhere, right? We both know we’re going to trying to find out everything we can about the other once we go our separate ways. There are some things I’d rather you hear from me.”

Almost everything he said since they met had caused her to become more and more intrigued. Lana absolutely planned on sending his name to Darmas to find out more. But for Koth to admit the same, well, it impressed her. And Lana was not easily impressed. “A fellow pragmatist. Alright, I’m listening.”

“You do any sort of basic holonet search on me and you’ll find that I’m a wanted man. Treason,” Koth said, sounding bitter. “Used to be part of the Zakuulan military. A captain. I was given an order I just couldn’t follow. My crew couldn’t, either.”

“So you deserted instead of obeying,” Lana said, taking a sip of her drink. The citrus drink had far too much alcohol; she’d have to take her time. The last thing she needed was to lose her senses because of drink right now.

“Yeah, we did,” Koth said. “Hardest damn decision of my life. I am Zakuul through and through. Growing up, I didn’t think there was anything I wouldn’t do for the Eternal Empire. Turns out I was wrong. Hard lesson to learn.” Lana looked down at the table and reached out though the Force, trying to get a better sense of his mind. “I can feel that, you know.”

She looked up at once, blinking. “You’re Force sensitive.”

Koth grinned. “Nah, not really. Just enough to give me hope when I was a kid that I might be a Knight some day. That never happened, so I joined the military instead. Was one of the few human captains left in the military.”

“I’ve never understood how the Zakuulan military can have such a reliance on droids. Yes, they’re cheaper, but the amount of flexibility and creativity they must lose is astonishing,” Lana said.

“Ah, but droids do one very important thing,” Koth said bitterly. “They follow orders. That order I didn’t follow? Was told to fire into a mob of civilians until they stopped rioting.” He ran a hand through his hair. “We had starved them out. They just wanted food and we had it all. I couldn’t even blame them.”

_Maebry would like him_ , a voice whispered in her head. _Maebry would trust him_.

Since when did Lana make her choices based on whether or not her lover would approve? _Since you met her_ , the traitorous voice said, louder this time. Lana thought back to some of the choices she had made, such as returning Master Surro to the Jedi or traveling with teeseven. Maybe the voice was right.

“It sounds like you arrived at the right decision,” Lana said, as she attempted to collect her thoughts. Her focus needed to be on Koth at the moment, not Maebry and the Jedi’s influence on her life. Recalling their earlier conversation, she added, “I take it this Senya is attempting to bring you to justice for your crimes?”

He scowled, revealing some wrinkles around his eyes. “Yeah,” he said. “If you could call it that. I don’t know if you noticed, but this place is Knight free, and we need to keep it that way. Any Knight finds us? Arcann will turn the place into paste.”

“If they find Asylum, it won’t be because of me,” Lana promised. “This place is far too valuable a resource.” She meant it. Here was a place close enough to Zakuul where she could easily meet her contacts. But now it was time to take a risk. “Are you actively fighting against Arcann?”

“Hells, no,” Koth said with a snort. “Right now? Right now my crew and I are just trying to survive. I’ve got a crew of twelve that depend on me to take care of them. Fighting Arcann? That’s a luxury we can’t afford.” He started to take a sip of his drink, but stopped with the glass halfway to his mouth. It almost looked comical. “Why you asking?”

Lana took a breath, feeling a slight ripple in the Force. She had reached a crossroads, she was sure of it. Now she simply had to decide which road to walk down. Easier said than done, of course. Her mind lingered on Maebry for a moment and Lana hoped her lover would approve of her choice. “Because I want to fight him,” she said, hearing the edge of steel in her voice. “And I want you to help.”

#

“We don’t get a lot of visitors on the ship,” Koth said, sounding apologetic.

The main hallway of the ship was cluttered with crates and containers, leaving hardly any room to move. Lana walked behind Koth, ignoring the looks from the crew as they walked past open doors. More than one person actually started following them, which made Lana almost feel trapped, something she did not appreciate. “Please don’t worry on my account,” she said.

Koth led her into a cargo bay of some sort, which seemed to be used more as a recreation room. There were exercise machines and a rack of free weights. In one corner, a card table stood. Lana even noticed a couple of hammocks swinging from a makeshift beams.

Lana recognized the woman with the blue hair and gaudy rings on her fingers. Tora, if she remembered correctly. The woman stood there, hand on the blaster on her hip, her mouth agape. “Um, so you wanna fill me in, Captain? Cause last I remember, you and blondie were about ready to kill each other.”

“Got to keep up with the times, Tora,” Koth said with a laugh. “That was so last hour. Now she’s our employer.” The word employer caught his crew’s attention. Koth walked over to a sound system of some sort and pressed a button on the wall console. “Everyone to the crew room. Even you third shifters who are sleeping right now.”

Koth walked back up to Lana, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against a cargo container. “Would you believe that Tora once had black hair? Always up in regulation bun. First thing she did when we deserted was dye her hair.”

“I’m not getting much of a military sense from any of them, to be honest,” Lana said. She had been so sure when she and Koth talked in the cantina. Now seeing his crew and the general disarray, she was beginning to doubt. And Lana did not like to doubt.

Shrugging, Koth said, “Yeah, well, we’ve been on the run for more than six months. I’ve been a little lax in discipline. Not gonna apologize for that.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to,” Lana said.

“So why we got some hotshot Sith on board?” Tora asked, her hand still on her blaster. At Lana’s look of surprise, she added, “What? You don’t got facial recognition software? I’ve got an app on my holopad. I’ll send you the link.”

Koth just rolled his eyes. “Just wait until everyone’s here.”

“Yeah, you know I’m not so good at that,” Tora said with a frown. She turned her attention to Lana. “So it true you can kill someone with your mind?”

Deciding to indulge in a little fun, Lana began to stare at Tora, not blinking once. Less than five seconds passed before Tora moved behind a crate, so Lana couldn’t see her any longer. “Shit, just stop looking at me, okay?” Tora called out.

“Nice,” Koth said under his breath. “You’re gonna fit in just fine here.”

A woman stumbled into the room, wearing a robe and rubbing her eyes. Lana guessed that this was one of the third shifters Koth mentioned. “That’s everyone,” Koth said, standing up straight. “This is Lana Beniko. She’s hired us for a scouting job.”

The idea had come to Lana as she and Koth were in the cantina. While she might have told Theron she had plenty of time, the time she did have could be used much more productively than scouting planets. Koth had a crew, and they were willing to do the work. If he could just find her a couple of potential planets, Lana could then go visit them herself. And they weren’t asking for much in terms of compensation. Mainly provisions, which Lana could certainly afford.

“Scouting, huh?” The man who had been with Koth and Tora on Asylum spoke up. “Not the most exciting job in the world, but at least it’s honest.”

“Oh, it gets better,” Koth said with a grin. “She’s fighting Arcann.”

The undercurrent of the room changed at once, an energy Lana recognized. Anger. These people were furious at their Emperor, and she would be able to use that to her advantage. And if she found this crew, there might be others out there. Even more people that were willing to stand up and fight.

This wasn’t an army, or anything close. One crew of former Zakuulan military officers and enlisted members wouldn’t topple an empire. But it was a start. It was _hope._ Lana needed as much as she could find these days.

“Easier said than done,” a woman with dark hair said, her arms crossed.

Koth raised his hands. “Look, this isn’t going to happen overnight. But if there’s going to be some sort of push back against Arcann, I want to be there from the get go. Pretty sure all of you would like to be there, too.” Koth sat down on one of the crates, resting his forearms on his knees. “So as far as I’m concerned. This is win-win. We scout, trying to find a planet for a base of operations, and we get enough food to eat while we do so. If anyone has any objections, now’s the time. I’m listening.”

Lana waited, knowing to anyone watching, she looked like she didn’t have a care in the world. Weight on one leg, with her arms casually crossed over her chest. It was a calculated look so she wouldn’t seem like she cared one way or the other if the crew agreed to the plan. But Lana did. Very much so. The crew spoke with murmurs she couldn’t understand.

After a moment, though, Tora stepped up, holding out her hand to Lana. “Let’s find you a planet.”

#

“So you really trust this Koth guy?” Theron asked.

Lana could tell Theron wasn’t pleased. She understood, she did. She just went out an made an alliance without even warning him. This was the right call, though, she was absolutely sure of it. “I do,” she said quietly. “To be honest, meeting Koth felt much like when I met you, on Manaan.”

Theron let out a chuckle, shaking his head. “Manaan seems like ages ago, doesn’t it? Still sort of amazed that you had the guts to walk up to an SIS agent and simply offer your help.”

That had been a dark day. An unworthiness had settled over Lana that day, the day she arrived on Manaan after following Darth Arkous. When she had realized he had done so much without her knowledge… Hopefully the incompetence she felt that day would never be repeated. But that was also the day she met Maebry for the first time, so she couldn’t call it all bad.

“It really does. A lifetime, almost,” Lana said, picking up her drink and swirling around the ice cubes. She didn’t want to drink, not at the moment, but the cantinas on Asylum were the type where people noticed when someone didn’t have a drink in front of them.

“Well, it’s not like I can fault your taste in potential allies,” Theron said, raising his glass in a mock toast. “Give me what you have on the guy, though. I’ll have Balkar run it through the SIS database.”

“I’ll be sending it to Sith Intelligence as well,” Lana admitted. “There’s nothing wrong with caution.” Unlike Maebry, Lana didn’t have an abundance of trust to throw around. But that was one of things that both infuriated and endeared her to the Jedi. “But I have a good feeling about him and his crew. I trust my good feelings.”

“So, say we find a planet. Then what?”

Lana bit her lip. They really did need to start planning long term. Ideally, then, they would have everything ready by the time they found Maebry and rescued her from where ever Zakuul had hidden her. But the sooner Maebry’s location was discovered, the better. Darmas was doing good work on Zakuul, cozying up to military types, even a Knight or two. Eventually, he might meet someone who knew where important prisoners were kept. Though Lana still didn’t understand why Arcann wasn’t crowing about his victory over the Outlander. It defied all of the psychological profiles that she had read. He was the type of man who wanted to have his accomplishments acknowledged. For him to simply hold a trophy of war like Maebry without bragging about it simply made no sense.

“We’ll need an army, obviously,” Lana said. “Someone will need to train any troops we recruit, make sure they’re all in fighting shape.”

Who would lead that army would be another question entirely. Ideally, any army they had would be a combination of both Imperial and Republic troops. They would have to find someone who would be willing to work with both, and not seem to favor one over the other.

“Not to mention we’ll need supplies for those armies,” Theron said, putting an elbow on the table and resting his chin on his hand. He seemed glum, which was understandable. The coalition they had on Yavin 4 wasn’t nearly as complicated. People had their own ships and supplies. They hadn’t needed to construct a base of operations from scratch. “This is going to take a lot of credits, Lana. A lot of credits.”

Nodding, Lana said, “I have some ideas about that.” Mainly involving the Hutts. While she hated the thought of being in their debt, the sort of capital required to start the Alliance was completely out of her means. Presently she barely had enough to pay for Koth’s services. Some of her under-performing stocks would need to be sold.

“Please tell me you’re not thinking about the Hutts,” Theron said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Lana said nothing and folded her hands on top of the table. “You’re thinking about the Hutts. Just… just hold that thought for now, okay? I’ve got a contact in the Intergalactic Banking Clan. Let me see what strings I can pull and try to come up with a couple of better leads.”

“I’m not thinking about the Hutts, then, if that will please you,” Lana said, trying not to sound too relieved. She truly did hate dealing with the Hutt Cartel.

“It does,” Theron said. “So then I think our little operation needs a name of some sort, don’t you?”

“Theron, I hate titles, you know that. Even for operations, I hate them,” Lana said. She paused, trying to think of what would capture the spirit of their alliance without sounding to grandiose. A smile crossed her lips as she realized she already answered her question. “We’ll simply call this the Alliance.”

Theron tilted his head, clearly thinking over the idea. “The Alliance. Simple. Catchy. I like it,” he said, raising his glass. “To the Alliance.”

Lana raised her glass and clinked it against Theron’s. “To the Alliance.”


	13. Drinking Games

_“Time is not our ally. We should hurry along.”_

_Lana turned away, hoping Maebry couldn_ _’t see the blush upon her cheeks. One kiss, one innocent kiss, and the world seemed to tremble under Lana’s feet. Never had she fallen for another like this. Already, she missed having Maebry’s hand on her waist and her lips pressed against hers. But there was no_ time.

_“You don’t think I’m letting you go that quickly, do you?” Maebry asked as she grabbed Lana’s hand. They both wore gloves, so Lana could hardly feel Maebry’s touch, but to simply hold her hand was enough. No, it wasn’t enough, it would never be enough. But it was all that they had._

_“We really should leave,” Lana said, even as she stopped. She didn’t feel in control of herself, not one bit. How in the galaxy had she found herself compromised like this? How could she provide advice with any sort of clarity when Maebry was involved? But how could she not? “Revan waits for no one.”_

_Maebry stepped in close, her hands on Lana_ _’s hips. They were standing close enough that Lana could see a small smattering of freckles across Maebry’s nose. “Lana, we’re in a room by ourselves. This might never happen again.”_

_Lana glanced behind Maebry and saw that the door was even closed. Theron_ _’s way of helping, no doubt. Right now, when passion and duty warred inside her, Lana wasn’t sure if she appreciated the gesture or not. Resting her brow against Maebry’s, Lana said, “I know we should go…”_

_Her eyes closed as Maebry gently pressed her lips against hers._ _“Soon,” the Jedi said, pulling back and meeting Lana’s eye. “Just not yet.”_

_And just like that, Lana_ _’s resolve slipped away. She threw her arms around Maebry’s shoulders, kissing her fiercely. By the time they broke apart, they both panted heavily, and Lana desperately wanted_ more. _Sex was out of the question, not in this dirty, cramped room which had been their base for the past month, but she needed something - anything - more than these kisses._

_Lana grabbed Maebry_ _’s hand and led her to the side of the room, pushing her up against the wall. Already she could feel their connection through the Force becoming stronger and she reveled in it, knowing that the stronger they were, the stronger she was. Once Maebry was up against the wall, Lana leaned her whole body against her, feeling the softness of her breasts, the strength of her core, oh how she wanted to know every single thing about this woman._

_Their kisses became more frantic, more desperate as time passed. Hands found their way under clothing and just as Lana decided the risk would be worth it, just as she slid her hand down Maebry_ _’s armored leggings-_

_“Oh my, we certainly didn’t mean to interrupt anything!”_

_Lana had to clench her teeth to control the lightning that threatened to roll off her fingertips. With more willpower than she thought she possessed, she spun around, throwing a hateful glance at C2-D4. Jakarro had the decency to look somewhat embarrassed, but C2-D4 kept on talking, apologizing for forgetting a very important holopad._

_She didn_ _’t dare look back at Maebry, not when Lana felt completely out of control, and worse, realizing that she_ liked _the sensation. To let herself go, to become completely lost in Maebry, oh how she desperately wanted that. Thankfully, Jakarro didn_ _’t take his time, and within a minute, Lana and Maebry were alone again._

_But the moment had passed, there would be no sweet release in Maebry_ _’s arms, not on Rishi._

_“I suppose that’s the universe telling us to get a move on,” Lana said in a weak attempt to make a joke. She turned back to Maebry and a sense of panic threatened to overwhelm her._

_Maebry had somehow managed to turn into stone_ _…_

_#_

Lana sat up in bed the moment she woke up, a weak taste of bile in her mouth. Bringing her knees to her chest, she whispered, “It was a dream, just a bloody dream.” Her eyes closed as she tried to control all of the emotions warring inside her. She hadn’t dreamed of Maebry in some time, to relieve that moment on Rishi, almost seemed cruel.

She concentrated on her breathing, on the way air rushed in and out of her lungs. Once her heart rate went down, Lana started thinking of the Force, thinking of Maebry, of the connection she was sure still existed somewhere in this galaxy. Lana _would_ find her lover again, destroying anyone who tried to stop her.

Her comm beeped, a message from teeseven. Oh how she would miss this little droid. But the time had come for them to part. Teeseven wanted to make contact with the SIS, do its own research again. While Lana could force the droid to stay with her, to help her do her own work, she couldn’t. Not to something that Maebry considered a friend. Wiping her sweat ridden hair off her brow, Lana read the message.

_T7 = heard commotion // Lana = well?_

That was the question of the hour, wasn’t it? Lana darted off a quick message to the droid, letting it know she was fine, before flopping onto her back. Tomorrow they would arrive on Corellia. Teeseven would start the next part of his journey, and Lana would meet a contact of her own.

She found herself becoming slightly nervous at the thought of heading to Corellia. While her forged Republic papers had never caused her issues, she had never tried to infiltrate a major Republic world before. And Corellia wasn’t just any world. With Coruscant still blockaded, Corellia had become the center of the Republic Army. But it was where her contact lived, so it was where she would go. Lana had done everything she could to prepare, even going as far as working on her accent with Theron, but she wasn’t a spy. She had no official training in spycraft and would only be able to trust her wits.

Somehow that would have to be enough.

#

For a world at war, Corellia seemed surprisingly settled.

Lana let teeseven take the lead through the spaceport, following a few steps behind, hands deep in her pockets. The goal was to look like a mercenary of some sort with her lightsaber nowhere to be seen. The disguise wouldn’t hold up to anyone skilled in the Force, but simply the effort along calmed her a bit. To any regular citizen of Corellia, she would be another weary traveler. At least, she hoped she would.

The first challenge would be stepping out of the spaceport. She found herself playing a game. If she left the port and didn’t see any Green Jedi, her trip would be a success. But if she did… Lana swallowed, preparing herself to walk among Republic troops. With her hood and colored lenses, no one should recognize her, not in the slightest. Even so, she readied herself for the worst.

Her eyes scanned the parkway and not a single Green Jedi could be seen. No time could be taken for relief, no small victory celebration; Lana had work to do. As she and teeseven walked down the ramp, teeseven beeped, _Corellia = T7 remembers // T7 = helped Master Maebry_

“I’m sure that was an exciting time,” Lana said, using her well-practiced Republic accent. “And I would love to hear all about it, but perhaps this isn’t the best place to discuss such matters.”

Teeseven gave an affirmative beep and they continued the walk in silence, on the way to a nearby casino. There, she and teeseven would say their farewells, a prospect Lana found herself not looking forward to.

They made it to the casino more quickly than she would like. A cantina stood off to the side, with enough people to cover any conversation. After ordering a drink, Lana sat down at a corner table, one where she could see the entire cantina. “Well, teeseven, I suppose this is it. I wish you all the luck in the galaxy, and if you ever need me, I’m a simple holocall away.”

_T7 = will contact Lana // T7 = will miss Lana_

Lana blinked rapidly, wondering when she had become ‘Lana’ to it instead of ‘Lana Beniko.’ It was the strangest feeling that she was losing a friend somehow. “I’ll miss you, teeseven,” she said, kneeling down so she was at the same level as the droid. “You’ve been quite helpful these past few months. Hopefully we can work together again some time.”

Teeseven spun around in a circle and Lana knew this was the end. She was about to lose another link to Maebry, no matter how small. But she had lost them before, and others had taken their place. Who knew what might be around the corner? At least that would be the cold comfort she would tell herself for now.

With a nod, Lana turned, ready to start the next part of her journey. She dug her hands deep into her pockets, ignoring the unfamiliar weight of a blaster on her hip instead of a lightsaber. Her skills with a blaster were quite limited, but she had no plan to actually use one in combat. If things came down to a fight, blending in be damned. Her lightsaber would come out. But for now, the blaster would do.

She walked through the streets, head down, but eyes scanning for any sign of trouble. Republic soldiers milled about, none looking particularly worried or bothered. Their casualness annoyed her somehow, but it wasn’t as if they were in line for inspection. All of them no doubt were on a break or heading to a meeting or drill. From what Lana gathered, the Republic did love their meetings. The inefficiency drove her mad sometimes. Best for a small, strong group of leaders rather than this nonsense of every planet, every person, being fit to make decisions. There were leaders and those who wanted to be led. To pretend otherwise did everyone a disservice.

Down the street, Lana saw the cantina where she would meet her contact, Captain Mai of the Republic Army. The good captain didn’t fight on the front lines, but instead worked administration, and was the assistant to the head of SpecForces. They met on Yavin 4, while dealing with Revan. As Maebry went off to do so many things to keep them all safe, Lana made it her business to talk to as many Republic officers she could. More than one became trusted contacts. But none more so than Mai.

The cantina wasn’t quite as crowded as Lana hoped, but it would do. As she walked up to the barkeep, she spotted Mai, wearing civilian clothes and a hood. Great minds, Lana chuckled to herself. But the Mirilian didn’t have a drink in front of her, which wouldn’t do at all. Lana quickly ordered two drinks, not wanting to say more than she had to, then walked to the table, the exact table she would have chosen herself had she arrived first.

“It’s good to see you,” Lana said, ditching the Republic accent. “Have a drink.”

“Thanks,” Mai said, with a smile. The woman had a lovely smile. As Lana set up an anti-recording device, Mai fiddled with the straw. “Thanks for meeting with me in person. I know it’s a risk. For both of us.”

“Of course,” Lana said, fighting a frown at the worry in Mai’s voice. “I know you wouldn’t have made the request unless it was important.”

Mai nodded, but Lana could tell from the doubt on her face that she didn’t quite believe her. “This isn’t treason, right? If what I’m doing is what’s best for the galaxy?” Burying her head in her hands, she added, “I just have to believe this isn’t treason.”

Lana stilled, wondering just what sort of information the captain had. She would have to tread carefully. The wrong word send Mai scurrying away and take whatever precious information she had been willing to share with her. “I could feed you platitudes, Mai,” she said quietly. “You deserve better than platitudes. You need to do what you think is right.”

“Right. But what’s right? I don’t even know any more,” Mai said. Lana watched her take a breath, then two, before picking up her glass and downing almost half the drink in one swallow. “The Republic wants to surrender. To Zakuul.”

Thanks to decades of propaganda and hatred, Lana’s first reaction was one of contempt. _Of course they do, that_ _’s why they’re weak._ Those thoughts would help exactly no one, so she pushed them aside for now, hoping that she would remember to examine these thoughts later.

Besides, weren’t those the exact same whisperings she had been hearing in Imperial space? The Dark Council made grand showings of telling the people they would never surrender, but one by one, the Dark Council members had died or disappeared. Only Vowrawn and Acina were left. Two Sith, no matter how powerful, could not run the entire Empire. But in the shadows, more than one of her contacts in the Ministry informed her that they were tired of war.

Who wasn’t? War exhausted them all. Some wars, righteous ones, lifted the people up, bolstered their resolved. This war, this war that they hadn’t caused or deserved, simply made the people of the Imperial Empire tired. Frankly, it made Lana tired, too. Every time she tried to make her case, that a coalition of Imperial and Republic had worked so well against Revan and the Revanites, she had been shot down. Again and again and again. But she would keep trying, because one day, one glorious day, someone would listen and agree with her. Other than Theron, of course.

“This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Lana said, folding her hands in front of her. She searched Mai’s face, looking for any sign of deceitfulness, and found none. Just the look of a weary woman who wanted to do what was best. No doubt Lana’s face mirrored the expression. “I take it there are complications?”

Mai nodded, and threw back the rest of her drink. “That was really awful brandy. I’m buying the next round,” she said, leaning towards Lana, resting her forearms on the table. “Complications are one way to put it. There’s enough Senators to override Saresh and sue for peace. All of the top brass know it. Fuck, Saresh knows it. But even these Senators that want peace? They have their pride.”

The pieces clicked into place easily. “They don’t want to surrender first.”

“Got it in one,” Mai said, shaking their head. “There are people on Coruscant that are starving right now because of this stupid blockade, and the Republic won’t do anything about it because they don’t want to look weak.”

“It’s that way on Dromund Kaas, as well,” Lana said, thinking of the messages she had received from her mother. The company had given up trying to earn any sort of profit and now worked solely to transport food and supplies where they could. It would be much easier if sixty-five percent of their ships weren’t stuck on Dromund Kaas, thanks to the blockade. “People are starving every day.”

“Is there… Is there any chance the Imps are thinking of giving up, too?” Mai asked. The hopeful look on her face was hard to ignore.

Lana thought carefully. As of right now, the answer would be no. The Dark Council still held too much sway. But perhaps the right words in the right person’s ears and that could change. If she let people know the Republic would follow suit… She kept herself from shaking her head. It would never work. Like the Republic, the Imperial Empire simply had too much bloody pride. They would never surrender first.

“I’ve heard a little, but not enough to say it’s imminent,” Lana admitted.

“There’s got to be something we can do,” Mai said, resting her chin in her folded arms.

Every so often, Lana had what she liked to consider fairly important ideas. It was what propelled her to introduce herself to Darth Arkous all those years ago, eventually becoming his chief advisor. It was how she managed to locate Theron Shan and offer her services on Manaan. And now, it could be an idea that might eventually bring down Zakuul.

“There is,” Lana said, bringing out her holopad. She’d need to bring in Theron, and several of her trusted Imperial contacts. But this could actually _work._ And if there was peace for now, then the Alliance could work behind the scenes towards defeating Zakuul.

“Well, don’t leave me in suspense.”

Lana smiled, a sharp predatory smile, one she had no occasion to use for quite some time. “We’ll have the Republic and the Imperial Empire sue for peace at the same time.”


	14. Negotiations

“You know this is crazy, right?”

Lana didn’t bother to look up at Theron from her holopad. “I’m well aware this is one of my more eccentric ideas, yes.”

Three months had passed since she had met with Captain Mai. Three months and neither side was willing to give an inch, refusing to be the first to surrender. However, during that time, whispers had begun to circulate in the Imperial Empire, that perhaps strategic capitulation wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen. Even the former Emperor himself had made peace with the Republic all those years ago. Those whispers had been hard earned victories on her part.

It was strange to think how many people in the Empire still revered the Emperor. Regular every day citizens had no idea of the atrocities the man had planned on committing, no clue that if he had his chance, he would have ended all life in the galaxy. To them, he was their Emperor, and even though almost half a decade had passed since Maebry had struck down his Voice, some people still mourned. Perhaps that would not be the case if the remaining two members of the Dark Council put on more of a show. But Vowrawn and Acina seemed content to rule quietly.

Theron scoffed, throwing down a reusable bag onto the conference table. For the last week, both she and Theron had been docked at Port Nowhere. Their docking prices were obscene; Lana would have to figure out something for credit, sooner rather than later. But being so close to their goals, the expense seemed worth it. “Here, I got us lunch. Maybe actually stand up and step away from the table for a minute?”

Her first reaction was to shake her head and keep working. But as Lana straightened up, she could feel more than one vertebra needing to crack. She stood up, enjoying the look of surprise on Theron’s face as she did. Stretching her arms over her head, she took a great deal of satisfaction as her back cracked, smiling as she saw Theron’s shiver of disgust.

“You actually took my advice,” he said, leaning back in his chair, hands behind his head. “Will wonders never cease.”

“Believe it or not, I do occasionally think you have good ideas,” Lana said, twisting her torso.

“Following my advice and a compliment? Careful, Beniko, this will go straight to my head.”

Lana grabbed one of the wrapped sandwiches from the bag, quickly deciding her stomach didn’t even care what sort of processed meat was inside. “I’ve learned that doling out the occasional compliment does wonders for morale.” She took a bite of the sandwich and immediately felt more alert. Not the best sandwich she’d ever had in her life, but right now, food was food.

Theron shook his head, but Lana noticed a hint of a smile at the corner of his lips, so counted it as a win. “So where are we at?”

“The Republic was far too eager to jump on the suggestion,” Lana said. “If I didn’t know better, they had the same idea, just was unsure of the execution.”

“But here comes a disgraced Sith lord and a former member of the SIS, and suddenly they have someone to blame if things blow up in their face. Got it,” Theron said, grabbing a sandwich of his own from the bag. “The food choices on Port Nowhere suck, by the way.”

Lana turned, not wanting to see that Theron scored a hit, even a surely unintended one. “I wouldn’t call myself disgraced, exactly.”

“Oh, shit, Lana…”

She waved his words away with her hand. “You’re right, of course. In the eyes of the Republic, what else am I? I’ve no title, no master. I’m rudderless in the night. A perfect person to blame anything and everything on.”

“If it helps, the Imps probably think exactly the same thing about me. Estranged from both his very important parents. Pulling one over me would make them giddy. In your face, Jace and Satele.”

“Estranged?” Lana asked. This was new. And not a good development at all. “I thought you and Jace were on good terms. Having drinks and everything.”

Theron all but plopped down onto one of the uncomfortable conference room chairs. “Yeah, so about that. Turns out this thing we’re doing? With the Alliance? Pretty much boils down to treason in his book.”

“Theron, I didn’t know,” Lana said, unsure if she should reach out. Perhaps a hand on his shoulder? But they weren’t the type of friends who hugged or touched, so she simply clasped her hands behind her back. “I’m so sorry. Are there… Will there be any official charges?” Their lives would be a great deal more complicated if they had to deal with keeping away from the Republic authorities as well.

He took a bite of his sandwich as he shook his head. “Thankfully, not. Just no more drinks,” Theron said after he finished chewing. “But he never paid for mine anyway, so no big loss, far as I’m concerned.”

His face, however, told a different story. Lana decided not to say anything more, and instead sat down, going back to her sandwich. Pressing for details or wanting him to open up about his feelings would be a disservice to them both. “Would you like to get back to work? We still need to craft a response to Minister of Logistics.”

Sitting up straight in his chair, Theron reached out for a holopad, relief clearly written on his face. “Absolutely.”

#

One hundred twenty-three days.

From the time Lana first spoke to Captain Mai to finally arriving to the day of reckoning, one hundred and twenty-three days had passed. She wondered how many people were killed during that time, how many displaced from their homes? How many hours had she and Theron wasted chasing after this idea of peace with Zakuul, all so they could gather allies while no one paid attention? But if all went right, today would be the start of a new era for the entire galaxy. Both Imperial Empire and Republic would sue for peace.

Then the real work would begin. The citizens of both governments would be relieved at the idea of peace, yet furious that they lost the war. Soon, an alternative would be looked for. And the Alliance would be there, ready to take all comers.

But just getting to this point had been a bloody nightmare. Lana tried not to fidget with her hands as she gave the conference room one last glance. Everything seemed to be in order. Light snacks and bottles of water off to the side. Then both a Imperial and Republic flag adorned the walls. Perhaps the Alliance should have some sort of symbol as well. She shook her head. It wouldn’t do to get too far ahead of herself.

“Port Nowhere is a shadow port, right?” Theron asked, hand on his hip. “You ever think what sort of deals were probably made in this room before we claimed it as ours? The credits that ran through here?”

“Well, now the smugglers who run the place will be able to charge even more after we’re done with it,” Lana said. Her hand reached for her lightsaber, which was not currently holstered at her hip. One of the main point of contention regarding this meeting were weapons. Finally, the agreement would be that both the Imperial and Republic representative would be allowed one armed guard each. No other weapons allowed. Thankfully, no one brought up the fact that as Sith, Lana basically was the embodiment of a living weapon. While her lightsaber would be useful if things went wrong, it wouldn’t be crucial in the slightest.

Lana glanced through the glass doors and saw two heavily armed guards walking down the narrow hallway. Apparently neither wanted the other to be first, so they walked shoulder to shoulder, barely fitting through the passageway. “Looks like the inspection is about to begin.”

The conference room door opened and the two soldiers walked inside. Lana raised her brow as she caught a glimpse of the Havoc squad insignia on the Republic trooper’s armor. The Republic senator must be taking security _very_ seriously. Based on the build of the soldier, if Lana had to guess, this might be the famed Major Fredgar Trevla.

The Imperial soldier wore a Black Ops insignia, and had a face Lana was sure she’d seen before, though she couldn’t quite place him. Though unlike the Republic soldier, he wore no helmet, and she could see his eyes darting around, taking in every detail.

The Republic solder took off his helmet, and Lana was gratified to know she was correct. The tattoo on the side of the gentleman’s face could belong to no one else. Major Trevla went right up to Theron and stuck out his hand. “Shan,” he said. “Good to see you again.”

“Freddie,” Theron said, shaking the major’s hand. “Hope things are good. How’s Elara?”

“Pissed at you,” Fredgar said, shaking his head. “You know she and Balkar are thick as thieves, right? I’m supposed to tell you that for the good of the Republic, please give Balkar a call.”

Before either Lana or Theron could react, the Imperial soldier cleared his throat and walked up to her. “Captain Pierce, my lord. Work with the Emperor’s Wrath.” She _knew_ she had seen his face before. “Can we start the inspection or do we need to wait for gossip hour to be over?”

“Of course, Captain,” Lana said. Frankly, she was glad he said something. If Theron and the major were on that good of terms, their reunion could come after the meeting. “What do you need us to do to make you satisfied with the security precautions?”

“Simply stay still so I can have a look around,” Pierce said.

“Guess it’s time to get some work done,” Fredgar said with a shake of his head. “Mind if I patch in my tech specialist? He’s on the ship.”

Pierce turned at once. “That wasn’t the agreement,” he said, scowling. “So, yeah, I bloody do well mind.”

Fredgar raised his hands. “And that’s why I asked first. Seems you’re still a bit touchy about the Bastion.”

Lana crossed her arms over her chest and tried to hold back a sigh. Of all the contingency plans she had made, the security causing an issue before they even inspected the conference room wasn’t one of them. “Gentlemen, this meeting is time sensitive. If we could please proceed.”

That seemed to light a fire under the two men. Ten minutes later, both seemed satisfied and headed off to escort their representative. Once the door closed behind them, Lana thought about asking Theron about Jonas, but decided that would be a conversation better off at a later time. Besides, she would not be surprised if one or both of the soldiers had bugged the room during the inspection.

Five minutes later, she watched as the two representatives walked side by side, their armed escorts looming behind them. The door opened and the Force surged within Lana. Surely a good sign. The Minister of Logistics from the Empire and the senate leader of the Rift Alliance walked inside.

Lana walked over to them, and as calmly as she could, said, “Welcome.” 

#

Peace negotiations with Zakuul took three weeks. Not that Lana actually was one of the negotiators. But she did have a contact willing to share information as the treaty took shape.

“Arms limitations,” Lana said to Theron over the comm, picking up the holopad and looking over it again. Perhaps she missed something. Perhaps this Force-awful treaty might not be as horrendous as she feared. Because right now, she had no idea how either the Imperial Empire or the Republic would ever be able to stand up and fight back against Zakuul, even if they combine forces.

_The army is going to reduce it_ _’s personnel by twenty percent. The navy by thirty percent. There’s going to be a whole lot of unemployed, angry soldiers out there. Maybe good for the Alliance?_

“I’ve heard the Imperial army is going to do the same,” Lana said. She quickly glanced at the autopilot console. Everything looked smooth, and she should be at Asylum in thirty hours. Koth Vortena finally had a lead on a possible Force neutral world. Arron Prime. Hopefully this would be a place the Alliance could consider home so she could stop living out of her luggage for a while.

_Get this,_ Theron said with a grin, _Zakuul is actually going to enforce Chancellor term limits. Guess who_ _’s out of a job next year._

“Saresh is dangerous, Theron. I don’t know if that will change if she no longer has the title of Chancellor. She’ll still be a senator,” Lana said, taking a sip of tea. “She will still be a powerful voice in the senate.”

_Fine, fine, take away my fun. So why aren_ _’t we seeing anything about the Dark Council in the Imps’ treaty? I can’t imagine that Zakuul would be happy to the Council got back up to full strength._

“That’s exactly what they need to do, though,” Lana said. The casualness which the Dark Council seemed to take ruling the Imperial Empire was beginning to infuriate her. There were twelve spheres and each one needed a strong, competent leader. The fact that there were now only two Council members with no rush to replace any of the others was callous at best. Almost treasonous at worst.

_You get to the part where they strip away all of our planets_ _’ resources?_

She nodded absently, finding the section labeled _Tribute_ on her holopad. Every single Imperial world, hundreds of them, had been listed and their most valuable resources identified. And the Eternal Empire would be taking almost all of it. There would be no material to build new ships, new infrastructure of any kind, practically not enough resources for any planet to thrive at all. What in the world could Zakuul do with it all?

“I’m choosing to look at these impediments as a boon,” Lana said thoughtfully. “People will be rightfully upset. Now we work on the governments to join together to fight.”

_And if they don_ _’t?_

That thought had crossed her mind. That neither side would be willing to work together, even now. That each side would simply fight the other while Zakuul gained in strength, eventually overtaking the entire galaxy. “Our Alliance will be a very attractive alternative. Once we have a base-”

_And a leader._

Lana’s eyes at the thought of Maebry. Her lover would be the perfect choice. People would rally to her, no doubt, allowing Lana and Theron to work behind the scenes. “Yes, a leader as well. My contacts on Zakuul are still working on that.”

_We_ _’ll find her._

“Theron, hold a moment, there’s an Imperial message about to be broadcast,” Lana said. She briefly considered saying she would talk to him another time, but no doubt Theron would see a copy of this exact message within an hour or so. He might as well see it with her.

Darth Acina appeared on the ship’s holocom. Lana eyes narrowed; the Darth was dressed in ceremonial armor, standing proud with hands behind her back. In the past week, Lana had checked with several contacts in the Citadel and no one mentioned any sort of address. Perhaps the Dark Council finally decided to fill its numbers. They had held Imperial broadcasts for less.

_Citizens of the Imperial Empire. Our time of chaos is at an end. With our new treaty with the Eternal Empire, I_ _’ve come to realize that the old ways have failed us. New ideas and more importantly, new leadership, is needed to guide the Imperial Empire to prosperity._

_Because of this, I have accepted the burden of leadership. From here on out, I shall be known as Empress of the Sith, and Empress for the entire Imperial Empire. The Dark Council has given me their blessing in this endeavor. The military has declared they will fight for me, their Empress. Together, we shall lead the Imperial Empire to greatness, once more._

Acina disappeared from the comm, leaving Lana staring into thin air in disbelief. She looked back at her personal holocom, where Theron waited. “I had no idea,” she said weakly. “I had absolutely no bloody _idea._ ”

That Lana didn’t have an inkling this was coming completely terrified her. If she could miss this, what else has she missed? What other important information might not she know. Her holopad started buzzing, message after message coming in. It would appear she was not the only one taken aback.

_I guess we know why there was nothing in the treaty about the Dark Council,_ Theron said, picking up a holopad, his eyes scanning quickly. _Pretty damn smart. Take advantage of all the confusion and claim power. Acina and Saresh would get along beautifully._

Lana’s fingers curled into fists. “This must have been her plan all along. Don’t bother replacing the Dark Council members and show up when the Empire is at its lowest,” Lana said with a quiet anger. A pressure started building in her chest. All Lana had done, and Acina had swooped in and turned everything in on its head for personal gain. Oh, she needed an open space were she could bring down lighting to take off this edge.

He sighed, one that seemed to fill his entire body then slowly dissipate. _Lana, let_ _’s talk later. My comm signal is going crazy and I’d bet yours is, too._

“Agreed,” Lana said at once, putting in the passcode to her holopad. She had hoped to go to bed soon, but Acina’s announcement changed everything. What was another night without much rest? “Stay safe, Theron.”

_You too._

Theron disappeared from the comm and she took a breath, trying to figure out just how this new Empress might wreak havoc with Lana’s carefully crafted plans. She had a feeling nothing good would come from this. Nothing good at all.


	15. Long Live the Empress

“Mother,” Lana said into her comm as she sat at a table in the cantina. “I’m at Vaiken Spaceport as you requested. I do hope you have a good reason for me being here.”

Her mother’s voice filled her ear. _I_ _’m your mother. That’s good enough reason. Just be patient. Only a few moments longer._

Almost a year and a half had passed since Lana had seen her mother in person. They spoke often, on an encrypted channel, one that wouldn’t be able to be traced back to either of them if detected. Having that connection grounded Lana, she found. And Nala seemed to enjoy the frequent conversations as well. Lana had the sense that her mother was lonely, not that they would ever admit it. The business struggled, even with the blockade finally ended. Ships could travel to and from Dromund Kaas, but the off-world passes were extremely limited. Beniko Industries hadn’t qualified for enough passes for their fleet.

“You’re not generally one for parental platitudes like that,” Lana said with a smile as she leaned back in her chair. The spaceport was far more crowded than the last time she had been here. That alone brought a bit of relief. If the economy could somewhat recover from the blockade, perhaps the Empire would be in a stronger position to fight back at some point. Lana could only hope.

_Indulge me in my old age,_ Nala said. Lana shook her head, even though she knew the gesture wouldn’t be seen, not when they spoke through audio only. _Now, look to your left._

Lana complied with the request. “Mother…"

“Sincerely: It is good to see you again, Master.”

_Surprise._

Lana stood up and found herself face to face with Mother’s HK-55 Droid. It stood at attention, a sniper rifle attached to its back. “Mother, how in the world did you smuggle this droid off of Dromund Kaas? You said the business didn’t have any passes at the moment.”

_And we don_ _’t. But I have friends who do and people who owe me favors,_ Nala said. Lana bit her lower lip to keep from saying anything. Her mother simply sounded so pleased with theirself. She would hate to take away anything from that.

“Mother, I thought you acquired the droid for your own protection,” Lana said, trying to keep the worry out of her voice. Knowing the HK Droid had been on Dromund Kaas, programmed to defend Nala had given Lana a sense of comfort. Now her mother was on Dromund Kaas by theirself, with only paid security guards to stand watch. And paid guards were easy targets for bribes or other schemes.

_You are about to go to Korriban for the largest gathering of Sith since who knows when,_ Nala said. Lana caught an undercurrent of fear in their voice. _This is for my protection, just as much as it is yours._

The crowning of Empress Acina. Every Sith who wanted any chance of power would be there, wanting to be seen. They would make deals and alliances, and Lana had no doubt that more than one Sith would be dead by the end of the ceremony. To have that many powerful, vengeful Sith in one place was a recipe for disaster. At first, when Lana had heard about the coronation, she firmly decided she would not be a part of it. But then she had received a hand written note from the to-be Empress herself, on actual paper made from the pulp of a tree. To ignore the summons would essentially destroy any credibility she had left as a Sith. And one day, she would need those connection for the Alliance.

“I’m not afraid, Mother,” Lana said, her hands clasped behind her back. And that was the truth. She wasn’t afraid of the summons. Lana would go to Korriban, watch the ceremony, allow herself to be seen among Sith. Then she would take a shuttle back to Vaiken Spaceport and continue her work for the Alliance. Simple as that.

That Nala did not come back with a quick retort or any response at all told Lana all that she needed to know. Her mother apparently was afraid enough for the both of them. No matter. Lana would do her duty as a Sith, even though she hardly considered herself to be one any longer.

Instead of arguing, which would only waste both of their time, Lana said, her voice quiet, “Thank you. I’ll find a way to get HK back to you at some point.”

_Lana, HK is a gift. Please treat him as such._

She looked up at HK-55, who seemed to be evaluating the premises of the cantina. “In that case, thank you, Mother.” After thirty-nine years, Lana knew when she was defeated. No amount of talking would change Nala’s mind.

Perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad, Lana thought after she ended the conversation with her mother. Something to talk to, even a security droid, would be welcome after so much time alone. There were plenty of times that she still missed the chirps and beeps of teeseven.

“HK, I need to change into my ceremonial robes. Please head to the shuttle bay and do a security check,” Lana said as she stopped in front of a fresher. Tedious, but for the coronation, she would absolutely have to look her best, not to mention as Sith as possible. “I will meet you there in twenty minutes.”

“Agreeable: Right away, Master.”

As she changed, Lana realized she hadn’t worn these robes since the last time she stood on Korriban, in front of the Dark Council as they shuffled all of the blame of the war onto her shoulders. Of course, without the matching cape, her robes didn’t have quite the same impact. To make up for it, she painted her lips blood red with heavy black eyeliner. She could wear a mask instead, if she wanted. But she had no desire to hide her face. Let anyone look at Lana Beniko and realize she had no fear.

Once she used gel to arrange her hair in stark patterns, she was ready. Lightsaber on her hip, Lana felt the equal to any Sith out there.

After stowing her bag in a locker - it would not do to walk through the sands of Korriban carrying a duffel - Lana headed towards the Korriban shuttle bay. There HK-55 waited for her, along with at least a dozen other Sith. She recognized most of them by sight, but none she knew well enough to strike up a conversation. So she stood, arms crossed over her chest, and HK-55 by her side. Others had droids or bodyguards as well. She certainly was not the only one. Perhaps her mother had the right idea.

The shuttle doors opened and the Sith all attempted to rush in without appearing rushed, all wanting to be first in line. Lana would have none of that. She waited patiently, content to be last. Let everyone watch her walk slowly onto the ship, her chin held high. No one would look down on her this day.

Thankfully the shuttle was large enough where she could easily find a seat. While some Sith started talking around her, others brought out a holopad. Lana was content to cross her legs and stare ahead, listening to the conversations around her.

Only minutes passed because the first fight broke out, someone had wronged someone else’s master years ago. Lana paid no attention as the crew came in, dragging a dead body away. If Acina wanted to reduce the number of Sith who might challenge her, she certainly had figured out the best way to go about it. Though the war with Zakuul had done plenty enough to wipe out the remaining Sith. Unlike the Jedi, who seemed content to hide out the storm, the Sith continued to fight. She worried that between the fighting with Zakuul and the skirmishes for power between Sith kept up at this rate, eventually the Sith would not be able to keep up their numbers enough. The number of potential acolytes has gone down a great deal. And if there was no one left to teach them? But she pushed that thought aside. As much as she wanted to, even she could not solve all the problems of the galaxy.

Yet.

The rest of flight was uneventful, with no more fights. She could only make out a few snippets of conversation, with most wondering just how long Acina would last as Empress. Lana could only shake her head at that. No doubt the Empress had this area of the shuttle bugged. Acina could easily find out who might think to challenge her and have the rival eliminated easily. If Acina had military support, it would be almost impossible to take Acina out. The only person who might challenge Acina would Darth Imperious, as he had Moff Pyron as a staunch supporter. But even he could not ignore reality. The Imperial Empire would never allow an alien to rule, even one as competent as Jakobus.

As they landed, Lana prepared herself for the coming onslaught of emotion. The dark side of the Force would be potent, permeating all around her, seeping into her skin. She thought back to Zakuul, and just how calming the neutrality of the planet had been. But the dark side made her strong, awoke her passions. That wouldn’t be a bad thing, not at all.

The doors to the shuttle opened, and Lana heard somber music playing, almost sounding like a dirge. As she stepped off the shuttle into the bright Korriban sun, she saw no band, so speakers must have been hidden away. A blood red carpet led from the shuttle area to the steps of the Sith Academy. Stars forbid a Sith found dust on the hem of their robes. Every fifty meters or so, a member of the Imperial Guard stood at attention, lining the way.

The front of the Academy had been cleaned up for the occasion. Gone were the usual merchant stalls and target practice areas. Construction had gone well, it seemed. The Academy didn’t feel nearly as run down as the last time she had seen the place.

As Lana walked up the steps of the Academy, she could feel eyes of other Sith upon her. She tried not to wonder what they might have thought when they saw her. Did they see traitor? Failure? Activist? So many labels she had earned over the last few years. Some days it was exhausting trying to think of them all. But the title - oh how she hated titles in any sense of the word - that buzzed in her mind as she entered the Academy was _lover._

Maebry had fought through these very halls once. She had attacked Korriban quickly and decisively, without warning. No doubt Darth Arkous played a part in the stealth. Even so, Maebry and her apprentice, Kira, two Jedi, managed to outfight all of the Sith on the planet. Defeats like that was how Zakuul found them so easy to conquer. Without the Revanites slowly draining power away from both Imperial and Republic, both states surely would have been able to defend against the Eternal Empire.

If the Revanite plot had never occurred, Lana would have never met Maebry, would have lived the rest of her life without knowing the sort of passion and love she was capable of. Was that knowledge worth it? Was the last two and a half years of desperately searching for her lover worth the brief time they shared together? The fact that even now, Lana could answer yes without a thought disturbed her a great deal. She had lived a satisfactory life before Maebry. Without her, Lana wondered if she would ever feel complete again. But she would make do. Because she had no other choice.

All the Sith on Korriban would not fit into the new Throne Room, once the Dark Council Chambers. Most would watch from the lobby, where a large holoscreen had been set up, allowing them to still be a part of the ceremonies. Lana, however, had an invitation that allowed her into the Throne Room itself, where she would witness the coronation ceremony in person. Lucky her.

She made her way through the security checkpoint, seeing one of Darth Imperius’ apprentices, Lord Xalek. Where was his master? The Ratattaki hadn’t been heard from in so long. She nodded carefully to Sith she knew personally, and ignored any that she had never met. Let them introduce themselves to her, not the other way around.

The Throne Room had been transformed. Gone were the twelve seats of power, leaving tall columns in their place. At the back of the room, an elevated platform held a single chair. A throne, though it looked no different than the Dark Council seats of old. Lana stood in the back, as close to the exit as possible, ready to disappear in a moment’s notice if need be.

The security of the coronation was an absolute nightmare. Apparently Acina had tried to keep it under wraps, choosing to bring in the Sith, then have a surprise broadcast for the actual crowning ceremony. Less chance of an impromptu attack. If Zakuul wanted, all they would need to do is send one of their damned Eternal Fleet ships, blast the Academy from orbit, and set back the Empire for decades. If all the Sith disappeared in one strike? The infighting and power struggle between the Imperial Military would be fierce, bloody, and worst of all, long. Which surely would be just fine with Zakuul.

Trying to keep her mind off the statistics, Lana let her eyes wander around the room. She was never one for fashion, but the individual style of each Sith fascinated her. More than half were masked, choosing not to reveal themselves. The others seemed to choose their outfits based on whatever would attract the most attention. Near the front, she saw Darth Alida, the Emperor’s Wrath, who seemed almost to be holding court. No mask for her today, though purebloods hardly ever wore masks, most wanting to bring attention to the color of their skin.

And then there was Lana. She wore no mask, and her ceremonial robes were simple, especially since it now lacked a cape. But the tight fitting robes showed off her trim physique. She might be turning forty soon, but Lana prided herself on keeping in shape. But her armor would never stand out in the crowd, which was exactly what she wanted.

A sudden blaring of a trumpet could be heard. Hovering over the crowed, several holorecorders appeared, all ready for the broadcast that would be mandatory viewing in every Imperial home. A hush settled over the Sith in attendance while an armed honor guard - a mix of Imperial Guard, Amy, Navy, and even Sith - marched onto the platform at the back of the room.

Darth Vowrawn appeared in the corner of Lana’s eye. He walked up the center aisle of the room, hands clasped behind his back. Lana wondered what he would get from supporting Acina’s ascension. Surely not more power. Perhaps it was something as simple as his life. It was well known that Vowrawn was past his prime, no longer the fighter that he used to be. If not for the Emperor’s Wrath, he would have been easily cut down by Darth Baras years ago. Somehow she doubted his support came down to simple patriotism, thinking Acina was truly the best choice to lead the Imperial Empire.

_You could be Empress_ _…_

Lana closed her eyes at the voice in her head. If events had occurred differently, she would have thought she’d be on the Dark Council by now. Once upon a time, she even had even dreamed about what sort of name they would give her as a Darth. Instead, they kicked her out of Sith Intelligence by putting all the blame on her shoulders. No, she could never be Empress. More so, she wouldn’t want to be. Far better to be the one behind the power, providing support. With a start, she realized that was the exact role she hoped to have if they found Maebry. Let her lover be in the spotlight, while Lana worked behind the scenes.

If they found her.

She turned to face the entrance to the room. And there Acina stood, regal in an armored gown, her hair piled high on top of her head in artful braids. She looked everything a proper Sith should. The moment Acina stepped into the room, Lana, along with all the other Sith, went down on one knee. So tiring, these customs. Lana thought back to an old set of armor, one that had kneepads. Had been far more comfortable to kneel in those that this outfit she wore.

Acina took her time walking down the aisle, and Lana tried to think what an ordinary Imperial citizen would think of this display. Would they be awed by hew power? Or annoyed by a broadcast interrupting their day? With the war, and the Imperials losing more than just their pride, Lana figured it would be the latter.

Eventually Acina made it to her throne. She turned towards the spectators and raised her chin. In defiance? In pride? Lana couldn’t tell from her vantage. She would have to watch the holos later and try to get a better sense of this new Empress. Acina slowly sat down on her throne, and once seated, Lana and the rest of the Sith stood.

A member of the honor guard - not just anyone, the Grand Moff of the Imperial Army - walked up to Darth Vowrawn, holding a small, plush cushion holding a simple coronet. Acina’s crown, no doubt. Darth Vowrawn took the coronet and knelt in front Acina. “I speak on behalf of all Sith, and all citizens of the Imperial Empire. Today we pledge our loyalty to you, Empress Acina, and trust in your leadership to guide the Empire to continued glory.”

Snickers could be heard from the audience, but no one on the platform seemed to give any notice. Continued glory, indeed. What glory had the Imperial Empire had since they had revealed themselves to the Republic, all those years ago? From here, all Lana could see was failure after failure. The Alliance would be different. It had to be. The galaxy didn’t have any other choice.

Vowrawn placed the coronet on Acina’s head, and in a clear voice, said, “Long live the Empress!”

“Long live the Empress,” Lana repeated, knowing to do anything else would be unwise. Long live the Empress, indeed.

Lana stayed for the speeches, with everyone promising to work hard and win victories. The moment the ceremony ended, she snuck out the door, finding HK-55 right at the lift waiting for her. The Sith could keep the rest of their celebration, the parties and dinners. She needed to get off planet so she could continue her real work: saving the galaxy whether it wanted it or not.


	16. Trust

“Ballen,” Lana said as she sat down at the cantina table.

The message he had sent her was short. _Requesting in-person meeting._ The former Watcher Three was one of her most steady operatives. If he wanted to discuss something in person, Lana took the charge seriously. So they met at Vaiken Station, since she was in the system for Acina’s coronation.

“My lord,” Ballen said, staring down at a holopad, before pushing it across the table towards her. He had that general disheveled look of someone who hadn’t slept in some time, which made Lana wonder what sort of information this holopad would reveal.

“Care to give me the short version?” Lana asked. “Or shall I read the holopad first?”

Ballen sighed, one that went right down to his toes, and said, “I would never make this accusation without proof. Rane Kovach. He’s providing information regarding Sith Intelligence to the SIS and the former Republic Chancellor.”

Lana’s stomach sank as if it were full of stones. “Rane?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Rane, who she had hand-picked to be her assistant when she ran Intelligence. But perhaps she was getting ahead of herself. “How long?”

“Before you even became Minister, my lord,” Ballen said, staring down at his folded hands. “I’ve had my suspicions for a while, but no proof until now. It’s all there.”

A cursory glance at the contents of the pad told her plenty. This would need to be dealt with immediately. And then she saw a name of one of Rane’s contacts that took the breath from her.

_Theron Shan._

#

Lana stared out the window of the Port Nowhere, wondering if today would be the day the Alliance ended, even before it truly had a chance to begin. She had no idea how she would ever be able to truly trust Theron again. Was this how he felt after he discovered she set him up on Rishi? Somehow she doubted it. They had only known each other for a few months at this point. Now? They had been working together as a team for bloody _years._

And in all that time, he didn’t think to mention that there was a mole in Sith Intelligence working for him. She had trusted Rane Kovach. She had trained him to take his place, and he must have been laughing at her the entire time. What does that say about her that she never even realized it?

That was what angered her the most. How could she trust herself any longer? How could she? When she couldn’t even trust her people, and worse, couldn’t trust people she would have proudly called a friend.

The doors opened to the conference room, the very room where she and Theron had tireless worked for months to arrange the surrender of the Republic and the Imperial Empire to the Eternal Empire. And now it would be the room where she confronted her friend.

“Lana? Everything okay?” Theron asked as the doors closed behind him. She continued staring out the window, refusing to acknowledge his presence. Let him become uncomfortable. He deserved it. She listened to his footsteps as he crossed the room, finally standing next to her. And still she stared ahead, convinced that if she looked him in the eye, Lana would make a mistake that would haunt her. “I’m here like you asked. What was so important that we had to meet in person?”

She closed her eyes, anger coiling in her stomach, slithering through her veins like a snake. If she wanted, she could kill Theron with a snap of her fingers; he’d never be able to defend himself in time. Oh how she wanted to lash out, to channel her anger and pain. But that would give Theron far too much power. Best to go in with an icy chill instead of a fiery blast.

“You son of a bitch,” Lana all but whispered, crossing her arms over her chest to keep herself from lashing out.

“Excuse me?” Theron said, sounding genuinely hurt.

It was the hurt in his voice that made her snap. Why should he be hurt when she was the injured party? She turned and took a step into his personal space, feeling far too satisfied when Theron took a step back, his hand resting on the holster of his blaster.

“All your words about trust and throwing Rishi in my face every other day and you place an SIS agent right in Sith Intelligence, right under my very nose, and don’t even tell me?”

Theron’s brow furrowed and Lana wasn’t sure if he was acting or genuinely confused. In the end, though, did it even matter? “Kovach. Shit.”

“Shit is right,” Lana said. Her anger and frustration bled out suddenly and all that was left were actual hurt feelings. She tried to brush them aside, try to tell herself that she considered Theron a friend didn’t matter. She could be professional about this. She had to be. The galaxy deserved no less than her absolute best. “You couldn’t have told me? Given me some warning?”

Theron dragged his hand down his face. “This is going to sound like an excuse, Lana, but honestly? I simply forgot.”

“You forgot?” Lana said, emphasizing each syllable.

“You were Minister of Sith Intelligence. I was part of the SIS. I’m not going to apologize for for doing my job back then,” Theron said, a note of anger creeping into his voice. “So yeah, maybe after you left Intelligence and we started working together, I should have told you.” He leaned forward, resting his forearm on the window. “But I was a little preoccupied and I didn’t give Kovach a second thought.”

Lana took a deep breath through her nose, trying to find her center. “So you forgot that you had a high level Sith Intelligence mole that reported to the Chancellor on a regular basis.”

Theron stilled at that. “The Chancellor? Lana, what the _fuck_ are you talking about. None of our contacts for the SIS reports to Saresh. We all report to Marcus Trant.”

Her temple started throbbing slightly. This had just gotten far more complicated. “Theron, my people have been investigating Kovach thoroughly since he was placed on the watch list. He communicates with a contact in the SIS, but he also makes regular communications to the Chancellor’s office. More than he contacts the SIS, to be honest.”

Theron’s jaw clenched as his hands curled into fists. “Damnit, he shouldn’t have access to Saresh. He must be playing the SIS. Probably telling Saresh everything about them. I need to warn Jonas.”

Lana placed her hand on Theron’s arm to stop him from leaving. “We have a bigger problem than that, Theron. He was one of my main sources in Sith Intelligence. He and I have discussed the Alliance in detail,” she said. His eyes grew wide and she was glad. Let him understand the ramifications of his actions. “Do you understand now why I’m so upset? We have no idea what Rane has told Saresh about the Alliance.”

“We need to find out,” Theron said, his voice pained. “Tell me you haven’t dropped him down a dark hole somewhere.”

“I have not,” Lana said, though she very much had wanted to. Oh how good that would feel… “I wanted to discuss things with you first before I made a move.”

“Suppose I should thank you for that,” Theron said, scratching the back of his neck. His tell for being nervous. _Good,_ Lana thought. Let him be nervous. Let him worry about what she might do next. “Damnit, this is a mess.” He held up his hands. “Yeah, you don’t need to tell me. A mess that’s my fault.”

Lana waited a moment before answering, trying to stay calm. “Do you think you could arrange a meeting? Bring him here? Then we can interrogate him.”

Theron looked wary at that. “Darth Marr interrogation or Satele interrogation?”

“Lana Beniko interrogation.” Theron’s eyes widened and Lana wanted to scream. How _dare_ he judge her? Especially when she was picking up the pieces of his bloody mess. “I’m not going to torture him, Theron. But I will get the information I need.” She used the word _I_ very deliberately. Let him wonder if he would be part of her plans from now on. That would be a decision she would have to make soon. But not now.

“Fair enough,” Theron said, bringing out his holocom. “I’ll make the call.”

#

Luring Kovach to Port Nowhere was surprisingly easy.

Theron made a few promises, played up their old connection, and two days later, Kovach walked into their trap.

“Theron?” Kovach’s voice sounded confused as he entered the darkened room. Good, Lana thought as she waited in the shadows. Let him be confused.

The moment the door closed behind him, Lana spread her fingers wide, enveloping him in a stasis field. A purposely weak one, giving Kovach a bit of movement. His eyes grew wide and she could sense the sudden scent of fear. He was terrified.

Good.

Theron walked over to Kovach quickly and through the field, handcuffed him with his hands in front of his body. “Sorry about this, Rane,” Theron said in a low voice. But then he pushed Kovach towards the single chair in the room, harder than he should have. Lana clenched her jaw, willing Theron to stick to their plan. She would be the big bad Sith and him the sympathetic SIS agent. But if Theron let his anger overflow, it would ruin everything.

“Sit,” Lana said, her voice a command. It was a voice that no one who valued their lives would ever think of disobeying. Kovach sat at once. Smart man.

“I know what this is about,” Kovach said, his chin held high. Lana tilted her head at that. _Interesting_. How quickly he settled on a strategy for himself. “You’ve discovered that I worked with the former Chancellor.”

“Pretty impressive, I have to say,” Theron said. “You team up with her before or after you started working with the SIS?”

When Kovach took a moment to long to answer, Lana sent a small shock towards him. Nothing that would the man at all. Just make him a bit uncomfortable. “I would answer quickly,” Lana said as he jumped slightly in his seat.

“That really necessary?” Theron asked, glaring at Lana. He looked annoyed enough that she didn’t think this was part of the planned routine. Lana simply crossed her arms over her chest and ignored him.

“I went to Saresh first,” Kovach said, wetting his lips. “Then she ordered me to infiltrate the SIS as well. She didn’t feel the agency was providing her the complete picture.”

Theron shook his head. “Damnit, Rane. Why wouldn’t you come to the SIS? We would have helped you.”

Kovach let out a bitter laugh, one that Lana felt shiver down her spine. “After what the SIS did to Cipher Nine? I think not.”

Lana had to admit she understood. When she was head of Sith Intelligence, she had read all about the truth there. She didn’t blame Fraeja for killing the entire SIS team she had infiltrated, not at all. Chances were Lana would have done the exact same thing. It did beg the question, though. How exactly had Kovach discovered that information? To call it classified understated the matter. And she didn’t believe that Kovach and Fraeja were close enough for her to share that information. But that was yet another problem for another day.

“So you thought you’d go over Lana’s head and work directly with Saresh? How’d that work out for you?” Theron asked, shaking his head.

“I had to do _something_ ,” Kovach said. Pleaded, really. “I abhor slavery and I figured I could do best working on the inside. I won’t apologize for that.”

“Your answer to fighting slavery was to lead the Republic to Ziost where they could become slaves to Vitiate?” Lana asked with a scoff. Her patience was wearing thin. She wanted to demand he provide her the information she wanted, then kill him.

“And then you fucked it all up,” Theron said. “Saresh didn’t actually take your advice, did she? And no one else was there to tell you what a bad idea this was. When did you switch to survival mode?”

“Saresh wasn’t the only one who knew about me on Ziost,” Kovach said, his voice growing desperate as his eyes darted back and forth between them. “The Jedi Order knew. If they wanted to stop me, they could have easily.”

Lana’s heart froze. Besides the Sixth Line, the only other Jedi on Ziost was Maebry. Maebry couldn’t have known about Rane. She _couldn_ _’t._ “What do you mean they could have stopped you?” she asked, steel in every word.

“Master Maebry. She caught me speaking to Saresh on Ziost-”

Lightning left Lana’s fingertips before she could control herself. The blast hit Rane right in the chest and Lana tried not to rejoice in his suffering. “Liar,” she all but snarled. “She would never-”

“Beniko, what the fuck are you doing?” Theron asked, grabbing her arm.

Lana struggled out of his grip easily, needing to release this sudden surge of anger that threatened to overwhelm her. “He is _lying_ ,” she said through ground teeth. “Maebry would never have done that-”

“He’s telling the truth,” Theron said softly.

She deflated at once, all the fight in her body disappearing, leaving only an empty shell. Theron took her arm and Lana let him lead her away from Kovach, until they were far enough away that he couldn’t overhear. “How do you know?” she asked, willing his words not to be true.

“I was there, Lana,” Theron said and she all but recoiled at the sound of pity in his voice. “When I met up with Maebry on Ziost, Rane was there and he had already told her, cause they were on the same side in his mind. If it helps, she didn’t tell me about the Saresh bit.”

“It doesn’t,” Lana said without emotion.

For so long, Lana had clung to the hope of finding Maebry and perhaps even starting up a proper relationship, one built on their shared attraction and goals. And trust. All these years, Lana had assumed that Maebry trusted her, just like she had trusted Maebry. To find out now that it was all a lie, when she couldn’t even confront her lover about this betrayal…

“Lana, back when you were head of Sith Intelligence, if you had a chance to put a spy in the Jedi Order, would you have hesitated for even a moment?” Theron asked.

Lightning danced at her fingertips and she could hear Kovach muttering to himself behind her. “I don’t believe in hypotheticals,” Lana said slowly. “I’m getting the information I need from him and then I’m going to kill him.”

She waited for a protest of some sort, even a token one, but all Theron said was, “I won’t stop you.”

“Good,” Lana said. Any protest he made would have been meaningless; they both knew she could overpower Theron easily if she wanted. He wouldn’t be able to keep her from her goal.

Lana took her time walking back towards Kovach. He watched her with his jaw set. Perhaps some of those interrogation lessons all Imperial Agents were required to have were finally kicking in. “What did you tell Saresh about the Alliance?” she asked, chin raised.

“Nothing,” Kovach said quickly. “I swear on my life. You’re doing good work, my lord. Someone needs to stand up for the rest of the galaxy and Saresh doesn’t seem to want to be that person.” His head dropped, probably because he knew his usefulness was at an end. “So I haven’t said a thing. She doesn’t even know that you and I have been in contact these past few years.”

Strangely enough, Lana believed him. Not willing to leave anything to chance, though, she reached out through the Force and could only sense the truth from Kovach.

She thought of Maebry. What had her lover hoped to accomplish by allowing Kovach to spy on both Sith Intelligence and the SIS? Perhaps that another way for her to help with the war effort. She needed to remember that when Jedi hoped for peace, what they were truly hoping for was the extinction of Lana’s entire order. Maebry tried that herself, asking Lana to become her padawan, asking her to give up everything she had ever known.

Closing her eyes, Lana pictured Maebry in her head, with her dark skin and purple heather hair. How long had it been since she looked at the holo of the two of them? Too long, if Lana was willing to kill Kovach without a second thought. Maebry would never forgive her.

Could Lana live with that?

She picked up her holocom, already knowing the answer. _Damnit, Maebry._ “Ballen,” Lana said into the device. She asked him to be on standby for this meeting, in case his services were needed. She hadn’t expected them to be so. Just another thing Lana had gotten wrong.

Ballen replied at once. _Yes, my lord._

“Have Rane Kovach stripped of his Imperial citizenship immediately,” Lana said, not looking at either Theron or Kovach. “Forward the information you have to your contacts in Republic space and make sure he’s ineligible to apply for Republic citizenship. Beniko out.”

Taking a breath, Lana turned and looked at Kovach. The relief on the man’s face could be read a mile away. Somehow that made things worse.

“I think with Saresh out as Chancellor,” Theron said smoothly, “it might be pretty hard to get anyone to overturn that citizenship ban. Good luck in Hutt Space.” Theron undid Kovach’s restraints. Quickly, probably to make sure Lana didn’t have a chance to change her mind. “Now get out.”

“Right away,” Kovach said, his voice shaking as he stood up. He didn’t even look back as he all but ran out the door of the conference room.

A silence as thin as a thread about to snap settled over the room. Lana walked to one of the big picture windows and looked out into the stars, trying to gather her thoughts. Her mind seemed to be overflowing at the moment and she wasn’t quite sure what she would need to do to contain everything. So she stared out the window and focused on a star. She had no idea what star, but it was enough to calm her.

“Lana, I’m just going to say it,” Theron said, sticking his hands deep into his pockets as he walked over to her. “You took this way too fucking personally. I get that you and Master Maebry had a thing-”

“It wasn’t a-” Lana stopped and closed her eyes. How in the galaxy could she actually try to explain? Perhaps to everyone else, her flirtations with Maebry had been just that. Flirts. But she and Maebry had forged a bond during their time together. A bond that Lana had been willing to follow to the end of the galaxy. “I loved her, Theron. And she loved me, I’m sure of it.”

“You barely knew her,” Theron said, frustration lacing his voice.

Lana stilled at the accusation. Barely knew her? As if Maebry hadn’t been entwined in her life from the very moment they met? Even when Lana had first spoken to Maebry through a holocall, when the Manaan base was about to go down, she had sensed their connection. Barely _knew_ her?

Anger swelled through her chest, but somehow, Lana manged not to lash out. She would need to find a place to release some lightning and _soon._ “I would like to think I have a better grasp on my relationship with the Jedi Master than you, Theron,” she said as she clasped her hands behind her back. She needed to be away from Theron, away from everyone. She needed to _breathe._ “I believe we’ve set out what we hoped to accomplish. Kovach has been neutralized.”

How she managed to sound like her entire world hadn’t just been ripped apart, she didn’t know.

“Shit, Lana, I didn’t mean…” Theron trailed off.

To his credit, Lana actually could hear the apology in his voice. It did not help the situation. What he said wasn’t true. She knew a great deal about Maebry, mostly from the files Sith Intelligence had on her. But all she truly had needed to know, Lana had learned through their bond. And through that bond, Lana knew that Maebry loved her. _Loved_ her. Lana didn’t need to know anything else.

Lana wondered what Maebry would do in this situation, if she had been betrayed by one of her companions. The answer was obvious. Maebry would forgive them and welcome them back to the fold. Could Lana do the same? Could Lana sweep this under the rug, work as though Theron had never done anything wrong? Another obvious answer. She had no choice. There was too much at stake for grudges. If she could find someone more suited to the task than Theron, perhaps then she could be selfish. But until then…

She turned and looked Theron in the eye. “Professionally, I think it best we put this behind us,” she said softly.

“Wait, really?” Theron asked, sounding confused. “I mean, I’ll take it. But are you sure about this?”

Lana thought to how their lives would be different if the Eternal Empire had never invaded. She and Theron would be on separate sides, each one most likely still trying to destroy the other. How could he have resisted the chance to put an agent in her ranks? Truth be told, if she could look past the anger and embarrassment of this, Lana was quite impressed that Theron had the audacity to do that. “I’m sure. Are there any other agents I should know about?”

 Theron shook his head. “None that I know about. But you know there are probably other moles in Sith Intelligence, right?”

“I know,” Lana said. She would pass along a message to Ballen that Sith Intelligence might want to do some loyalty checks. Thorough ones. “And I’m sure Sith Intelligence has moles in the SIS.”

The room threatened to overwhelm her. She needed to be off of this station. Now. This very moment. Not bothering to look at Theron, she started walking towards the door, stopping right before it would automatically open. “I’m going to focus on finding the Alliance a base.” She half turned back to Theron, but didn’t meet his eyes. “For the time being, please only contact me in regards to official Alliance business.”

“Lana,” Theron said. The slight crack in his voice gave her pause and she raised her chin, locking her eyes with his. “I’m sorry.”

She left the room without another word.


	17. Falling

“This isn’t your ship,” Lana said, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at the small corvette which had clearly seen better times.

“Yeah, so you didn’t give us much notice that you were on your way to Asylum,” Koth said, scratching the back of his neck. “We had picked up a job, so I sent the crew off and we can take this one.”

Lana tapped her finger against her lips. Her own ship had taken on space debris on the journey from Port Nowhere and needed repairs. HK-55 agreed to watch over her ship while she traveled with Koth. She had assumed she would travel with his whole crew, not just Koth alone. She and Koth had been in constant communication since they met, but they haven’t spent any time alone since then. The few times they’ve met on Asylum he was always surrounded by his crew.

“I suppose it will have to do,” Lana said, adjusting the strap of her overnight bag. She hadn’t hesitated when it came to going into hiding with Theron several years ago. Why would this be any different? The brief thought of Theron twisted in her gut. Only a few days had passed since they interrogated Rane and it felt like a bloody lifetime. She wondered how much time would need to pass before she became used to the tremor of their relationship.

“Your chariot awaits,” Koth said with a slight bow. “I’ll get us in the air.”

Lana raised her brow at the eagerness in his voice as they started walking up the docking ramp. “That eager to fly a ship?”

Koth sounded positively cheerful as they entered the small ship. “Always. Flying isn’t a chore for me. It’s fun. Started as a combat pilot, you know.”

Thanks to Darmas Pollaran’s research, Lana did know. In fact, at this point, she knew almost everything there was to know about Koth. The more she learned, the more she thought Arcann’s decision to replace seasoned officers like Koth with droids, an awful one. But one that would certainly work in the Alliance’s favor in the long run.

“You said this would take us half a day to get to Arron Prime?” Lana asked. She followed Koth up to the bridge. He settled into the pilot’s seat and Lana went to the co-pilot’s chair.

“About thirteen hours if you want to get specific,” Koth said, starting up the pre-flight check. “Only one bunk. We’ll have to hot bunk it if we both want some sleep.”

Lana nodded as Koth continued to work. Fifteen minutes later they were on their way. “Lana?” Koth asked. “Mind if I sleep this first watch? Been a bit since I’ve had a chance to get some rest.”

“I thought you wanted to fly the ship.” Lana said with a smile. How quickly things changed. “I’m assuming there’s an autopilot on this thing?”

“Haven’t exactly read the owner’s manual on this model, but usually…” Koth stared at the interface in front of him for a moment before saying, triumph in his voice, “it’s right here. There. Course is laid in so you don’t have to do a thing.”

Koth left the bridge with a nod. Lana brought out her personal holopad, ready to do some work.

#

So absorbed in her work, Lana missed the initial warning beep. Only when she heard the chime again did she look at the console.

The layout was quite different from her personal shuttle and it took several precious moments before she realized just what exactly the alert was for. But once the threat registered, she acted. “Koth,” she said into the intercom, “we have a problem.”

Less than a minute passed before Koth entered the bridge, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Almost twelve hours had passed since they left Asylum. Lana had decided that Koth deserved to get as much sleep as he could get.

“What’s happening?” he all but barked. The change was almost startling. Gone was the easy going Koth she had known and in his place stood a battle weary veteran.

“Something on our sensors,” Lana said, pointing at the console.

“Shit,” Koth said. “Is that Senya?”

Senya again. Koth had mentioned the Knight in their first meeting months ago. This woman could quickly become a problem if not dealt with. Lana would very much prefer not to have any more delays. “I don’t believe so,” Lana said, taking in the sensor readings. “I believe a random Eternal Fleet patrol."

“And we’re in an unregistered ship. They’re going to fire on us,” Koth said, setting into the pilot’s ship. “This bird barely has any shields and no guns. We’re not winning this fight, Lana. You better buckle up.”

A wave of anger washed over her as she realized just how useless she was at this very moment. And if there was anything Lana did not like, it was feeling useless. Best to concentrate on what she could do, such as putting on the seat restraints.

“They’re firing!” Koth said and Lana could hear the fury in his voice. She siphoned it off, let it linger with her own. She would find a way out of this somehow. She had to. “Didn’t even send a message first. _Bastards._ ”

The blast hit the ship with a jolt, testing the limits of Lana’s seat harness. This wouldn’t be how she would die, Lana told herself. Not like this. Not in the cold vacuum of space without even the chance to defend herself. She deserved better than that sort of lonely death. She did. But not everyone received their due in life, did they? That was a lesson she had learned early and often in life.

“Another hit and we’re done,” Koth said quietly. She could still feel his anger, but there was a quiet acceptance settling over him. “We’re close enough to the planet that I’m gonna try to make a landing.”

Lana nodded, her jaw set, and brought her holopad back out. If these were going to be her last few moments in this galaxy, she had some work to do.

#

“Lana?”

There was concern in the person’s voice. Lana didn’t like that. She didn’t need people to be concerned about her. She was _Sith._

“Okay, come on, Lana. You’re breathing, so you’re not dead. I need to you wake up so we can get out of the ship.”

Lana blinked and tried to figure out exactly where she was. A ship? Yes, she was in a ship. She turned her head to the left - oh, she shouldn’t have done that - and saw Koth. “Koth?” she asked, her voice bleary.

“There you are,” Koth said. “We gotta get out of here. From what I can tell, that Eternal Fleet patrol is in orbit.”

“We crashed?”

Koth nodded. “I’ve got a broken arm and maybe a rib, too. You blacked out.”

“Well, that’s just insulting,” Lana said, unlatching the seat’s harness. She tried to catalog her body for any injuries. A concussion, most certainly. But everything else felt more or less in tact. She would know more once she stood up so she held out a hand to Koth. “Help me up, please.”

She put her hand in Koth’s and stood. The bridge spun somewhat slightly, so Lana grabbed the back of the seat. Taking slow, deep breaths, she tried to access the damage. Nothing felt too off. She would be fine. Hopefully. “Will the patrol be searching for us?” Lana asked, patting her thigh, pleased to feel her holopad still safe and sound.

“They saw us go into the atmosphere. I tried to get us far away as possible to trip them up. But we’re running on borrowed time right now.”

“What’s it like outside?” Lana asked, trying to remember the report Koth had written about the planet. That she simply couldn’t remember did not bode well.  “Is there a place for us to hide?”

“That’s the good news. Lots of forests,” Koth said. Lana tried not to fidget while Koth seemed to look her over. “I don’t like the look of your eyes, Lana. I’m gonna scavenge what I can from the ship. Why don’t you go outside and find us a place to camp?”

Lana tried not to feel like a child being told what to do. But it had been some time since she had any sort of survival training. And quite frankly, survival training for the Sith was somewhat lacking, the basis being find people to do all the work to keep you alive. “Alright,” she said, taking a step forward somewhat gingerly. Her body didn’t protest too greatly so she took another step. Then another.

After what seemed to be an age, Lana stepped out of the ship. The air was somewhat warmer than she liked, reminding her of Korriban without the sea of red dust. But a forest with lots of cover stood nearby. She would go there and try to ignore the pounding in her head. A kolto cocktail would be much appreciated right now. Hopefully the small medbay in the shuttle had been stocked.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed before Koth emerged from the ship. “Bad news,” he said as he walked towards her. A couple of sacks were slung over his shoulder and he held a pack of water bottles in what Lana supposed was his good arm. “I checked the sensors. That patrol is starting a search. Luckily, they’re on the other side of the planet so we’ve got some time.”

Lana closed her eyes and tried to think. Somehow they needed to make the ship disappear while she and Koth hid in the forest. That would require lightning. “Get back,” she said, taking a step towards the shuttle. The concussion would complicate things, perhaps diminish her power a bit, but she would do her best.

“Wait, what are you going to do?” Koth asked, grabbing her arm.

She jerked her arm away, ignoring the steady pulse at her temple. Instinctively, she reached for the dark side of the Force, only to grasp at air. Only then did Lana remember. This planet was neutral, like Zakuul. Slowly, she spread her arms, focusing just on the Force. Not dark. Not light. Simply the Force. It swirled around her, slithered through her veins. This was true neutrality and she absolutely reveled in every moment.

Using as much strength as she could, Lana balled up the Force around her and threw it at the shuttle. She saw no lightning or rocks, but whatever she had captured did the job. The shuttle all but imploded on itself, leaving a thick layer of debris.

Once Lana was finished, she rested her hands on her knees, panting. Her head was _throbbing_ , enough so she worried about permanent damage. But she was not done yet. Raising her hands above her head, she brought up the earth and dirt around the shuttle. The neutrality of the Force sparked around her, almost taking a life of its own. Oh, if only she could stay here and study the Force here… What she could _learn._

Lana clapped her hands together and the dirt spread over the ship, effectively hiding the debris from anyone who might be searching for them. “There,” she said, trying to catch her breath. “We should be able to hide now.”

“There goes my deposit,” Koth said with a low whistle. “You gonna be okay? I’ve got some kolto.”

“Kolto would be wonderful,” Lana said, clutching her side. She needed rest. She needed rest _now._ “But once we’re in the forest. I did not do all this just for that patrol to find us by looking out the bloody window.”

“I’ve been on one of those boats. They don’t have wind-” Lana turned her head and glared at Koth, who gave her a smile. “Right. Let’s get in the forest.”

#

“Damn patrol is still searching for us,” Koth said, looking at his holopad. “It’s been two hours now. You’ve got to think they have better things to do than search for crash survivors.”

Lana picked up her canteen and took a sip of water. Thanks to a nearby stream, they didn’t have to worry about a source of water. And thanks to the number of ration bars Koth brought from the ship, they had food to last at least two weeks. The thought of actually being on this planet for that long was worrisome, but hopefully it wouldn’t come to that. “Apparently not,” she said. “Once it’s gone, we’ll get a signal out. Between us, surely one of our contacts will be nearby.”

“Hope so. This is not where I plan on dying,” Koth said, leaning back on his hands. They both sat cross-legged on the ground, which wasn’t exactly comfortable. But it was either that or standing and Lana’s head still pounded a bit, even after a few doses of kolto. “Was sure we were goners when we hit atmo.”

“I thought the same,” Lana admitted.

“You ever been in a near death situation like that before?” Koth asked. He sounded tired and Lana wondered if he truly wanted to know the answer or if he was just making conversation. She supposed she didn’t mind either way. This almost reminded her of when she and Theron had to go into hiding. At the end of the night, they had sometimes split a bottle of whatever alcohol Jakarro had lying around and talk about everything under the sun, simply as a way to waste time.

Jakarro. More than three years had passed since she had heard from him. She supposed it was time to accept the inevitable. Somewhere along the line, he must have been killed. The thought that he or that damn droid were no longer in this galaxy saddened her more than she thought it would.

“Lana?”

“Sorry, lost in my thoughts,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m Sith, remember? Some would say every day is a life or death situation for a Sith.”

“I’ll take your word for it. But answering my question seriously?” Koth asked.

Lana thought back to the near misses in her life. A lightsaber battle that ended with her losing the pinky finger on her right hand. Gene therapy grew it back, but if she hadn’t deflected the Jedi’s blade at the right time, she would have had a lightsaber through her heart instead. Then there had been her trials as an acolyte, searching for Tulak Hord’s helm. She had been walking next to death for so long she wouldn’t know what it was like not to have it as her constant companion.

“I’ve had my share,” Lana said finally. Knowing that would probably not be enough to placate Koth, she added, “I served on a planet called Balmorra once. I had to infiltrate an arms factory. The intel I was given was not accurate and I ended up surrounded by eight battle droids. I was so sure that would be the end.”

“But you survived to kick ass another day,” Koth said with a grin.

She found herself smiling back but when their gazes lingered together for a moment too long, Lana had to look away. A sudden hunger sprang up in her stomach, one that had absolutely nothing to do with food. Lana tried to remember the last time she pleasured herself and came up blank. She’d have to do something about that once they made it off planet. Because she couldn’t think of another reason why she might be thinking of Koth in any other way than professionally. “What about you?” she asked, desperately wanting to force her mind back to the topic at hand.

“After I disobeyed orders and they threw me in jail,” Koth said. “I was pretty sure I wasn’t getting out of there alive. But Len swooped in and saved the day.”

“I’m glad,” Lana said.

“You and me both,” Koth said, laughing. He had a good laugh, a solid laugh. Lana liked that. He checked his holopad again. “Still searching. So what do you think of this place? Gonna work for your Alliance?”

“Our Alliance, I thought,” Lana said quietly. “Aren’t you part of the fight? Or are you truly just here for the credits?”

Somehow the thought that he only cared for credits knocked her off balance a bit. She thought him better than that from their previous conversations. Yes, she knew he and his crew needed credits. Everyone needed credits these days, but she thought he wanted more.

“The credits help,” Koth said with a laugh. “But yeah, I guess it’s my Alliance, too.” He looked up at the sky. “So what do you say? Is this our new home?”

Lana shook her head. “While the Force is very strong here, it’s also on an Eternal Fleet patrol route. We can’t take that chance. We need something a little more remote.”

“Fair enough,” Koth said. “A secret base is worthless if it can’t stay a secret.”

“Exactly,” Lana said, pleased he understood. It wasn’t just that, though. Now that she had had a chance to meditate, something felt slightly off with the planet, in a way she couldn’t quite describe.

A silence settled over the camp and Lana wondered how much longer they would have to wait before the Eternal Fleet patrol moved on. So incredibly frustrating. But they could risk sending out a signal until the patrol was gone. Her eyelids were starting to get heavy; she could very much use some rest. Deciding to do just that, Lana took off her coat, leaving her in just a plain fitted t-shirt. A bit chilly for that, but she needed something to use as a pillow.

“Would you mind keeping watch for a bit?” Lana asked as she settled down on her side.

Koth nodded and Lana’s stomach jumbled up a bit when she realized he was looking her over, so to speak. It had been quite some time since she’d felt admired. She could admit the feeling wasn’t unpleasant. She wondered if she should tell him about Maebry. He knew that they wanted to find the Outlander, but he had no idea about her personal relationship with her. But as her eyes closed, she decided that could wait another day, especially considering that right now, she wasn’t sure what to say. Sleep would be more important.

And then they needed to find a way off of this forsaken planet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the crazy long break. I've got a bit of a cushion now, so I should be back to my regular update every two weeks schedule. Thank you to everyone still reading this! :D


	18. Mistakes

“Lana?”

Hearing her name woke Lana up at once. She sat up, hand on her lightsaber, eyes searching for any threat within the perimeter.

“Whoa, slow down there,” Koth said with a laugh. “Just wanted you to wake up, not go to war.”

Lana pulled down the front of her shirt, which had ridden up a bit as she slept. “Apologies,” she said, taking in the scene around her. The fire they built had gone out and she could see sunlight peeking through the canopy of the forest. It had been dark when she went to grab some rest. “Just how long did you let me sleep?”

Koth shrugged his shoulders. “Pretty sure you needed the rest. You did basically implode my ship yesterday with your mind.”

She couldn’t really argue with that. Thankfully, the pounding in her head seemed to have subsided. “I appreciate it,” she said as she started to put on her coat. “What’s the situation?”

“Pretty certain that the Eternal Fleet patrol is finally gone. Did a detailed scan of the planet once they left. Picked up some strange readings a couple miles west of here. I don’t think we’re alone,” Koth said. “Want to check it out?”

Anyone on this planet most likely didn’t want to be found. If they found criminals, one of two things would happen. The criminals would attempt to kill them or be happy to give them a ride off of the planet for decent amount of credits. Considering Lana had no doubt that she would be able to handle any threats, she decided it would be worth the risk. “I wouldn’t mind the chance to stretch my legs.”

“My kind of gal,” Koth said and Lana heard approval in his voice. She found herself feeling a bit flush, wondering just why his approval mattered at all. “Let’s see what’s waiting for us.”

It took only a few minutes to break up their camp before they started after Koth’s mysterious signal. Koth led the way, holding out a scanner in front of him. They walked in silence, a comfortable, companionable silence.

Just as Lana was about to ask how much longer - they had to have walked for more than an hour at this point - Koth held up his fist, silently telling her to stop. He pulled down his goggles and stared out into the distance. Lana had never asked him what the goggles were for, assuming them to be decorative. Apparently, she was incorrect.

“See those lights?” Koth asked, pointing ahead. “I think that’s some sort of warehouse.”

“What?” Lana asked, straining to see the lights Koth had mentioned. She saw nothing. “Your report said this planet was uninhabited. I checked every holonet source I could find on the place. Nothing comes up on Arron Prime.”

“Bet it’s a shadowport of some sort,” Koth said, pulling up his goggles. “Enough tech and anyone can hid from sensors. Wouldn’t hurt to take a closer look.”

She nodded. They had come this far. They might as well see what awaited them. “Let’s do it,” she said, placing her hand on the hilt of her lightsaber. The chance that whoever was in the warehouse becoming an actual threat was laughable, really.

Only fifteen minutes passed before they were within shouting distance of the warehouse. Just one, and fairly small. Clearly there for criminal activity. And there outside the warehouse was one small shuttle. Hopefully the owner was feeling generous and might be willing to give them a ride.

“Koth, you have a bit more experience with the underworld. Should we announce ourselves?” Lana asked quietly.

That’s when a blaster bolt hit the tree next to where she stood.

“Looks like they know we’re here,” Koth said, grabbing his blaster rifle from his back. “There goes the friendly approach.”

Lana unholstered her lightsaber, knowing she would have to depend mainly on her martial skills this fight. She still hadn’t completely recovered from her endeavor yesterday. But she would do her best. “I’ll go ahead,” she said. “Cover my approach.”

“Gladly,” Koth said as he ducked into cover. “Do I know how to show you a good time or what?”

Ignoring his words, Lana concentrated on the terrain in front of her. There only seemed to be one shooter, a Rodian with a blaster pistol, hiding behind a stack of crates. Hopefully more weren’t hiding in the shadows. With a flick of her wrist, she activated her lightsaber and the Rodian’s wides widened. This would only end one way now.

The Rodian took a shot directly at Lana’s feet and she cursed her exhaustion. If she thought she could, she would bring down lightning and end this battle in a moment. Lana took another step and Rodian shot again at her feet. It took Lana a second too long to figure out why.

That was when the land-mine exploded.

Lana found herself flat on her back, ears ringing. Her lightsaber deactivated the moment it fell from her hands, so not to cause any damage. Oh she would have a headache from this. Thankfully, the land-mine had been weak, not causing a great deal of damage. Around her, she could hear blaster fire so she stayed still, not willing to risk sitting up in the middle of a firefight.

But the fight was over quickly. “Lana, you okay?” Koth yelled from behind her.

She took that as her cue to sit up. “I’m fine,” she called back, taking stock to make sure she actually was. After a moment’s deliberation, she decided that she had no obvious injuries, though a medpack would be a welcome sight.

“Sooner we’re off this planet, the better,” Koth said, holding out his hands to her.

Lana put her hands in his and let him help pull her up. But it took a moment longer than it should have for him to let go of her hand. Her heart sped up again, not from the fight, but from his touch. She wasn’t sure what to think about that. “I agree,” she said, a bit more briskly than she thought.

“Let’s check out our new toy,” Koth said, sounding almost eager.

The ship was small, probably could only handle a crew of one or two, but it was plenty big to get Lana and Koth to Asylum. The cargo doors were still open, so they walked inside. “Spice,” Lana said, wrinkling her nose. She detested the stuff, hated what it did to people who became addicted. At least this was one batch that would never find it’s intended targets.

Koth went straight to the bridge, while Lana searched for medical supplies. There was a small common room, which seemed to be a combination of galley and lounge. A small bunk with only one bed. A privy. The cargo area was smaller than she expected. But one didn’t need much room to transport spice.

She continued searching, even after she felt the ship take off. After what seemed liked ages, Lana found medical supplies. She all but moaned when she stabbed the syringe full of kolto into her thigh. There could be no more displays like yesterday again for some time. Her body, and more importantly, her mind, needed rest. It would be the height of irresponsibility to ignore that.

Rest would come. It would take half a day to get back to Asylum, and then she could spend a couple of days on the shadowport, resting. That rest couldn’t come soon enough.

When she came out of the cargo hold, Koth was standing at the bar in the galley, a bottle in his hand, and two glasses in front of him. “We’re in luck,” he said with a smile. He did have a lovely smile. “The bar’s well stocked.” He started to pour the alcohol. “And I don’t know about you, but after the last twenty-four hours, I could use a drink.”

“Same,” Lana said with a quiet chuckle as she walked over to the bar. Mixing kolto and alcohol wasn’t the wisest course of action, but right now, she didn’t care. A drink or two to take the edge off sounded just about perfect. “What are we drinking?”

“Rodian ale,” Koth said after studying the label of the bottle. He slid a tumbler towards her before picking up his own. “To the poor bastard who’s ship we now own.”

With a nod, Lana clinked her glass with Koth’s, then threw back the drink. “Will the ship help make up for your lost deposit?” she asked, holding out her glass for a second helping.

“It’s better than the one they gave me,” he said with a shrug. “Think I can convince them this is the ship I rented?”

“Best of luck with that,” Lana said as she walked over to an overstuffed chair. The pain in her head had all but disappeared now, something she was very grateful for. “I wanted to ask you, Koth. You’ve mentioned Senya a couple of times now. I’m assuming there’s a story there?”

Koth threw back the rest of his drink at her words, then started to pour another. “Yeah, you could say that,” he said, and Lana could hear a hint of anger in his voice. “She’s the Knight assigned to hunting me down and bringing me back to the Empire. She does not quit.” He took a sip of his drink. “Arcann probably wants to parade me around, show the fleet what happens when someone dares to disobey him.”

Lana watched him walk around the bar to the couch opposite of her. There was something captivating about his presence, something she couldn’t quite explain. Somehow, she found she couldn’t look away. Adrenaline still coursed through her veins, from the earlier fight, from the crash, from the way Koth looked at her…

“But I don’t really want to talk about her right now,” Koth said, his voice low. “Got a few other things on my mind.”

Lana’s heart started to beat outside her chest. She swirled the ice cubes in her tumbler, feeling the heat of Koth’s gaze. Right now, in this small common room in a stolen ship, she felt like they were the only two people in the galaxy.

She took another sip and looked up, locking eyes with him. He _wanted_ her, she could tell. And right now… Lana took another sip of her ale, trying to keep her thoughts clear and not all jumbled together.

It wasn’t working.

Almost three years had passed since Lana had last been truly touched by another person, by _Maebry._ Three years since feeling someone’s skin against her own, since taking the time to learn someone else’s body, to discover what they liked and disliked, and more importantly, what they _needed_. All this time, she had been faithful to Maebry, a woman who Lana might never see again.

A woman who didn’t trust Lana enough to tell her the truth about Kovach.

Why was Lana waiting for her? Why was she waiting for a woman who clearly cared more about the Republic than she did for Lana? Why else would she had kept the information to herself? Stars, Maebry had plenty of chances to let Lana know what she had discovered. She took one more sip and made a decision. The tumbler went down on the floor and she stood up from her chair. She must look a mess right now, still disheveled from their earlier fight. But the loud beating of her heart reminded her that she was alive. She was _alive_. And Koth was here in front of her.

Koth didn’t move a muscle as she all but sauntered over to him on the couch. Then Lana slowly lowered herself so that she straddled his lap, their chests flush together. “Hello, there,” she said quietly, trying to put a bit of huskiness in her voice. It failed miserably, of course. She never had gotten the whole Sith siren routine down right.

But that didn’t seem to matter to Koth. “Hey, yourself,” he said, his hands sliding around her hips to rest on her ass.

Her eyes closed as he held her tight against him. Oh. _Oh,_ she hadn’t realized just how touch starved she had become over these past few years. Her body wanted to soak in every bit of Koth’s warmth. But she also wanted _more._

So Lana placed her hands on either side of Koth’s neck and kissed him. Kissed him desperately. And Koth kissed her right back.

How desperately she needed this, this comfort from a friend. As they continued to kiss, her mind cataloged the differences between Koth and Maebry, even as she tried to convince her brain to stop thinking for a while. Maebry was soft and light and smooth while Koth was solid and muscle and rough against her skin. It would be so easy to let herself forget, to let herself get lost in Koth.

For a moment, she did exactly that. She only considered the slightly rough feeling of day old scuff on his cheeks. She thought only of how his hands were firm in their grip, pushing her down closer to him, close enough to feel the hardness between his legs. Lana could already picture their coupling in her mind and no doubt it would be beautiful.

It also wouldn’t be what she wanted. Not really. She wanted more than just a warm body next to hers. Even with the anger she felt towards her lover, it wasn’t Koth Lana wanted at this very moment.

She wanted Maebry.

Lana pulled herself away, splaying her hands across Koth’s chest. “I can’t do this,” she said, still panting slightly. “Oh, stars, Koth, I’m so sorry.”

To his credit, Koth immediately took his hands off her ass, even going so far as to hold them up so she could see them. Shame settled in Lana’s stomach and she stood, taking a few steps away, needing some distance. What had she been _thinking?_ This wasn’t her. This wasn’t her at all. She wasn’t the type to use another person simply for her own gratification.

“You okay?” Koth asked and the concern she heard in his voice made her feel ten times worse than she already did.

Her jaw set, Lana turned around and looked at him. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat before crossing an ankle over his knee. Koth was a friend at a time she wasn’t sure she had many. The truth about Kovach’s allegiance had truly shaken her, made her question every single one of her contacts. People she had thought a friend only a few weeks ago she now viewed with suspicion. It was absolutely no way to live but what choice did she have?

“I’m fine,” Lana said, adjusting her tunic. She took a breath and hoped her next words wouldn’t wound Koth too much. “I should not have done that. That is not how I see our relationship progressing.”

Koth let out a low whistle. “Damn, you cut to the quick, don’t you?” he said, shaking his head. Slapping his knees with both hands, Koth stood up. “Well, I can be an adult about this. Guess it’s best it stops before instead of after.”

Lana hugged herself and said, “Thank you for understanding.”

“I’m not sure understanding is really the right word here, Lana,” Koth said, taking a step towards her. “Accepting is more like it.” His voice lowered, almost sending a shiver down her spine. “You sure about this? Because I can’t help but wonder…”

His voice trailed off and promised possibilities. Beautiful possibilities, ones that if she were truly free, with no complications, Lana would be extremely happy to pursue. But until she knew the truth about Maebry’s whereabouts, until she learned if her lover was dead or alive, this was what she needed to do. “I’m sure,” she said with a crisp nod. “I think it’s best if I go to the bridge.”

“Yeah, okay,” Koth said, with a shrug far too casual to be convincing. Stars, she had hurt him, which was the last thing she had wanted. But what she wanted didn’t matter when it came to Koth’s feelings. Lana would just have to hope that they could move past this and still have a good working relationship. Easier said than done, of course. “I’ll be in the bunk. Sleep off some of that fight. Let me know when you want me to take over.”

Lana nodded and turned without looking back. Only a moment passed before she stepped on the bridge. Leaning back against the wall, she closed her eyes, shame overwhelming her.

What had she done?


	19. Reaching

“It’s absolutely delightful to have you back on Zakuul,” Darmas said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs at the knee. The last year had not been kind to him, Lana could tell. It probably hadn’t been kind to her, either. But here they were, on Zakuul, doing what needed to be done to save the Imperial Empire, and by extension, the galaxy.

Lana didn’t particularly want to be on this planet. Not now, not when she had so much to do. Several of her Sith contacts had disappeared since Acina’s ascension to the throne. No doubt the Empress was trying to clean house. Especially after the rumors had started of a romantic liaison between Acina and Arcann. It wasn’t Acina’s style, at least, Lana thought it wasn’t. Hoped it wasn’t, really. While plenty of Sith, both men and women, used their sexuality to get ahead, on the whole, Lana found it distasteful. Any power she corralled would be earned by right.

But as their trip to Arron Prime went so disastrously sideways, Lana wanted to try to make things up to Koth. On the outside, he stayed the same Koth she had gotten to know, but she could tell how much she had hurt him with the rejection after the kiss. If figuring out a solution to what he called ‘the Senya problem’ helped fix things between them, then Lana would do her best.

She and Darmas were in his safe house, and for a time, she would again take up her role as one of his girlfriends. Tedious, certainly, but the role was already known. Less than a year had passed since she had been on Zakuul, after all.

“I trust you had no issues with your papers?” he asked, sliding a plate of cookies across the table. He man had developed a hint of softness over the past year, no doubt thanks to cookies just like these. Good thing she didn’t particularly care for sweets.

“None,” Lana said. “The security on this world is absolutely atrocious. I hope it never changes.”

“You and me both,” Darmas said with a chuckle. “Miss Temple is out this week. Some stars awful assignment for one of her classes, scouring about some old ruin. She’s been here long enough that she has to think of graduate school soon, believe it or not. As her dear old dad, I couldn’t be more proud.”

“I’m glad that cover is working out,” Lana said.

“Would have been far more enjoyable for her cover to be a female companion, but I guess I just have to accept the reality of my position. I’m getting old,” Darmas said somewhat thoughtfully. “You never think it’s going to happen to you until it does.”

Lana let out a soft laugh. “I understand that. I turned forty not too long ago,” she said.

Forty. An age only a third of the Sith actually manage to reach. Most managed to get themselves killed by her age. Lana supposed she should consider herself special, managing to live this long. Yet there was so much more she needed to do in this galaxy. Even if she lived twice as long, it wouldn’t be enough. Somehow that was a sobering through.

As if Darmas could sense her change, in mood, he said. “You should stop by the cantina while you’re here. My holdings have expanded since you’ve been gone. I now own the place.”

Lana laughed, sounding somewhat hollow, but appreciating the subject change. She picked up a cookie. One wouldn’t hurt too much, would it? While she generally tries to abstain from too much gluttony, every so often, one must give into temptation or one would go mad. She took a bite. Cinnamon. Not her favorite, so she put it down. If Lana was going to indulge, it would be on better cookies than these, thank you very much.

“I suppose congratulations are in order,” Lana said, picking up her cup of tea. “I’ll be on planet for a week. I don’t want to leave too quickly. Might arouse suspicion if I do.”

That, and she wanted to search more for Maebry. How was it that she seemed to have disappeared so entirely? Lana refused to believe the one sensible option, that she was dead. She absolutely refused to believe that. So where _was_ she? Why wasn’t Emperor Arcann parading her around like a trophy, like he had with so many other people he captured. It simply didn’t make sense, based on what she knew of his profile, and if there wasn’t something she didn’t like, it was when things didn’t make sense.

“Plenty of time to stop by for a game of cards,” Darmas said and Lana was pleasantly surprised that he actually sounded genuine. But then he leaned forward. “So why don’t we cut to the chase, my lord? Why are you here?”

“Right to the point of it all, I see,” Lana said, breaking off a bit of the cookie and crumbling it inbetween her fingers. “I’m looking for someone.”

Darmas raised an eyebrow. “And you needed to come all the way to Zakuul to find them?”

“The military captain I had you prepare a dossier a while back? He’s being pursued by a Knight of Zakuul. I need it to stop,” Lana said. That was all she was willing to say here. How she would get this to stop was another matter. Assassination would be the easiest, yet messiest way. And if she decided to assassinate this Knight, she needed to be the one to do it. She could not risk Darmas’ connections here on Zakuul. They were too important.

The shift was subtle, but gone was the personable information broker who spent far too much time in cantinas, and in his place, a cipher agent trained by Imperial Intelligence. “I hope you have a name,” Darmas said quietly, drumming his fingers across the table. “I do so hate browsing through picture databases.”

“Senya Tirall.”

Darmas nodded, grabbing a nearby datapad. “Twenty-four hours and I’ll be able to give you everything you’ll need.”

#

Lana remembered her.

The woman she met just before running into teeseven. _That_ was Senya Tirall. Lana remembered the day clearly, remembered the brief connection through the Force they shared. Somehow their futures were wrapped up together. But how?

Thanks to Darmas’ profile, it wasn’t difficult to figure out Senya’s schedule. Lana wanted the meeting to be on neutral grounds, some place where they might be able to have some privacy. After some consideration, she decided a visit back to the gym where she saw Senya for the first time would be best. Of course, Lana hadn’t known that was Senya at the time.

Lana wondered if Senya would remember her, would remember that brief bond their shared? Now that Lana knew the identity of the Knight chasing Koth, that bond seemed more important than ever. The Force was bringing them together, of that Lana had no doubt.

She walked into the training room in her workout gear. If Senya walked into the room when Lana was still in full armor, she might become suspicious, possibly even raise an alarm. Best to be seen just as someone dedicated to their training before she reached out to Senya. Lana started with a light workout, one with a lightsaber pole. Almost immediately, her muscles started to protest slightly - her regular workout routine had been in shambles the last few months - but she pushed through the discomfort.

Twenty minutes later, the door opened and Lana took a deep breath. This introduction would be crucial. If she messed it up, she might lose any chance for Koth. And if he was continually hunted, his work for the Alliance would be subpar, and she absolutely could not have that.

“Excuse me,” Senya said, her tone slightly apologetic. But the woman froze as recognition crossed her face. “I remember you.”

“Hello, Senya,” Lana said as she walked to the weapons rack. She waited for some sort of reaction from Senya as she put her lightsaber pole away, but received none. “I’ve been hoping to run into you.”

Senya glanced at the door, her mouth in a thin line. Gone was the woman from almost two years ago who had teased Lana about not speaking. This was a woman who wanted a weapon in her hand, thinking a threat before her. Well, Lana would do her best to not be threatening at all. While she was quite confident in her skills in the Force, somehow, she didn’t want to put them to the test against this Knight.

“So you felt it, too?” Senya asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “We were meant to meet each other again.”

“You believe in the Scions, then?” Lana asked. She had studied them extensively when she stayed on Zakuul and never knew quite what to think. They reminded her of the Mystics on Voss but she thought the Mystics were ridiculous. Any vision could be twisted by the right interpreter. She didn’t see how the Scions were any different.

Senya let out a snort that immediately put Lana at ease. “Depends on the day, really. I’ve had personal experience with them… and they were correct in the end,” She raised her chin slightly. “And I believe in the Force and the Force-”

“Brings people together,” Lana said, finishing the thought. How true that was, considering some of the people the Force had brought into her life. How the Force brought Maebry into her life. “That is true.”

“Well, I’m here,” Senya said. “Will you finally reveal your true nature?” Lana opened her mouth, but Senya continued. “I can already tell you’re a Sith, I sense the darkness warring with the light within you. Right now the darkness is winning, isn’t it?”

“I am,” Lana said simply, seeing no point in denying the statement. Senya didn’t make the word Sith sound like an accusation like so many other people. Just a statement of fact. “And I want to protect what is mine.”

Placing her hands behind her back, Senya started pacing. “Am I to assume that what is yours is Imperial Space? And that for some reason you believe that I might be able to help in your quest?”

There was a hint of annoyance in Senya’s voice. Lana would have to tread very carefully, lest the woman decide to leave. “I speak of life outside the Eternal Empire,” Lana said quietly. Sometime she couldn’t quite believe it, but she fought for Republic lives just as much as Imperial ones. Because that’s what Maebry would do. Her lover had fought to save _all_ lives, both Republic and Imperial. Lana found she could do no less. “I look to protect that. Wouldn’t you, if a conquerer came into Zakuul and tried to destroy all that you love?”

Senya stopped walking and to Lana’s surprise, turned her back towards her. Normally, Lana would assume such a move to be an insult, but here, it felt like a step towards trust. “I understand completely. Sometimes it feels like Arcann’s reign is exactly that. A conquerer changing all of Zakuul, and not for the better.”

Lana’s heart fluttered. All she had hoped was to convince Lana to ease up on her search for Koth. But perhaps she found a potential ally as well. “I lived on Zakuul for six months, you know. Somehow managed to evade security that whole time. I want to love this planet and her people with their beautiful culture and traditions. But…”

She trailed off deliberately, hoping Senya would pick up the rest. “But Arcann.”

“But Arcann,” Lana repeated.

Senya turned back towards Lana, and said, “So you obviously took some effort to find me. What is it you hope to accomplish?”

Lana considered her words carefully. “I am part of an Alliance that looks to fight Arcann and his rule over Imperial and Republic space.”

“Somehow I doubt you want me to join your little group,” Senya said.

The truth was, now that she had met Senya, spoken to her a bit, she hoped exactly that. To have a Knight on their side, someone who knew the inner workings of Arcann’s security, maybe even knowing where important prisoners were held… Lana very much hoped to convince Senya to join the Alliance some day. But first things first.

“It’s a member of my Alliance I’m concerned with,” Lana said.  Truth would be best for now. If Senya was as proficient in the Force as Lana thought she was, she would be able to sense any falsehoods. “Koth Vortena.”

Senya’s eyes narrowed. “What about him?” she asked, her voice cold. Gone was the woman who mourned Zakuul, replaced with one every inch a Knight who fought to protect her home.

“Koth works with us. His ability to do his job is hampered a great deal by having to evade you on a regular basis.”

“You’re asking me to shrink in my duties,” Senya said, raising her chin slightly.

“Surely you have other tasks assigned to you besides hunting the crew of one man?” Lana asked.

Senya snorted and walked to the corner. In one elegant move, she sat down on the floor, legs crossed underneath her. “I think we both know we won’t be killing each other today,” she said, patting the floor next to her. “Come. Sit.”

Lana tried to sense if she was being lured into a trap of some sort, but she felt no deception from the Knight, so she decided to take the plunge. Stars, how had she become so trusting? Maebry’s face lingered in front of her and Lana pushed the thought of her away. This was absolutely not the time. Lana lowered herself to the floor, sitting against the other wall, so only the corner was between them. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she said, “Why all the resources for just one man?”

“Because it’s not just one man,” Senya said softly, leaning her head back against the wall.

“Well, obviously, his crew, too, but-”

“Not them,” Senya said quickly. “Arcann is trying to show the people of Zakuul that humans are a liability when it comes to military matters.”

“Because Koth disobeyed orders,” Lana said, twisting her fingers together. “But he did because he felt the order unethical-”

“It doesn’t matter,” Senya said as Lana tried to hold back an impatient huff. Would the woman ever let her finish a sentence? “That wasn’t his decision to make. We cannot function as a military without rules and regulations and Koth flaunted both. First by disobeying, then by getting his crew to break him out of prison.”

Lana took a breath, trying to picture the Imperial Army as a soulless army of droids. It wouldn’t ever work. Someone needed to give those droids commands and without rising through the ranks, how would anyone get enough training and experience to make those decisions? “So do you believe that? That humans are a liability to the military?”

Senya looked away. “I believe that Arcann believes that they are. Skytrooper droids are more efficient, cost less, they never tire…”

“And are disposable,” Lana said. Though she wasn’t sure if she even believed that any longer, thinking of teeseven and HK-55. She would never simply throw one of them out. She couldn’t imagine wanting to do that.

“But most important,” Senya said with a sigh, “they don’t disobey orders.”

Lana decided to ask the question foremost on her mind, the answer determining how much she would truly want Senya’s assistance. “Would you have killed all those people, if ordered?”

Silence settled over them and Lana wondered if Senya even knew the answer to that question. Years ago, Lana wouldn’t have hesitated. She would have followed her master’s command without question. But now? Now she was far more interested in protecting lives, saving them. It would be unthinkable for her to do what Koth had been ordered. She’d like to think this Senya was the same.

“I don’t know, I wasn’t there,” Senya said. “But the chain of command…” She closed her eyes and shook her head and Lana sensed a hint of defeat in her posture. “Fine. I’ll lower Koth’s priority in my duties. I will still have to hunt him, though. I can’t give it up completely. I have my own superiors to report to.”

“I understand,” Lana said. “Perhaps we could stay in contact. You could let me know where you’re searching and I could pass that along.”

A wry grin crossed Senya’s face. “You know, you’re asking a lot for someone who hasn’t actually introduced themselves.”

Lana felt her cheeks redden slightly. “Oh stars, you must think me the rudest person alive,” she said, holding out her hand. “Lana Beniko, Sith Lord.”

Senya briskly shook Lana’s hand. Firm, like a proper handshake should be. “Senya Tirall, Knight of the Eternal Throne.” Leaning forward, placing her elbows on her knees, she added, “I have to admit, I’m curious. What did Koth say about me?” She straightened up almost immediately and added, “You know what, I don’t want to know.”

“Probably for the best,” Lana said with a tilt of her head. “You have been chasing him to the edge of Wild Space, after all.”

“I am nothing if not relentless,” Senya said with a laugh.

Lana’s heart started to speed up as she thought of what she was about to ask next, now that Koth’s situation had been handled. “Speaking of Wild Space,” Lana said, hating the slight hesitation in her voice. “I’m looking for someone. Desperately, really. The Outlander who killed Valkorian.”

“The Outlander?” Senya asked, eyebrows raised. “That’s an easy question. I know exactly where she is.”

Lana’s hands curled into fists as she tried to keep her breathing even. Senya had spoken the words so casually, as if Lana hadn’t spent the last three years of her life searching, desperately hoping for some sign that her lover might truly still be alive. She thought back to when she last felt that spark, that little essence of hope that had told her Maebry was still alive. Perhaps her hope hadn’t been in vain, after all.

“And where might that be?” Lana asked, attempting to keep her voice level. Senya didn’t need to know about her relationship with the Outlander, after all.

Senya gave her a long look, one that told Lana she could tell there was a personal interest at stake in the answer. But in the end, what did it matter? What mattered was that the Knight had the answer Lana needed, the answer the Alliance needed, and more importantly, the answer the galaxy needed.

“She’s in Arcann’s trophy room.”


	20. Hidden Treasure

Calm. Lana needed to remain calm.

She needed not to rush off and make rash decisions. Especially considering she was still on a hostile world where one wrong move would possibly get her killed. Granted, if that happened, she would take down as many Knights as she could. But best not to ever get to that point in the first place.

She would remain calm, even when knowing for certain in the first time for three years that Maebry was alive. _Alive._ Just the thought of that made Lana’s heart sing.

But she didn’t share the news right away.

She wasn’t sure why. Surely, it was her duty to spread the word, to let the people of the galaxy know that their hero had not been lost. That she was in fact, simply a prisoner, one who would need rescuing. People would rejoice at the news. It would give the people of the galaxy, who for so long had been oppressed, a sense of hope.

Yet still she kept the news to herself.

The streets of the Spire bustled around her. Lana had dressed carefully in a tunic and a long, flowing skirt in yellow and black, wanting to seamlessly blend in with the Zakuulan citizens. The tunic hid the lightsaber holstered at her waist. As long as she kept her head down and made no eye contact with any Knights of Zakuul as she walked, no one should realize she was anything other than a tourist walking through the Spire for the first time.

Lana had memorized the directions to the prison, not daring to write them down in her holopad. Granted, the holopad’s self-destruction protocall was still active, but why even take that chance? Senya had told her of shortcuts where no Knight would tread, but Lana didn’t want shortcuts, not today. She needed to see _exactly_ where Emperor Arcann kept his trophies.

Today she wanted to walk among the people of Zakuul and find her way to her lover’s prison. Each step she took brought her closer to Maebry. Lana tried to concentrate, tried to find that life spark she had felt a few times over the years, but with so many people around, it was impossible. Instead, she raised her chin and started walking with a purpose.

She did not use the Force, but people moved out of her way as if she had shouted out commands. Perhaps she should worry she might catch a patrolling Knight that would take notice. But somehow, she did not.

Less time than she thought passed before she found herself in front of a nondescript building. The location, she didn’t quite understand. They were close to the more touristy areas of the Spire yet even closer to a large industrial section. This was not an area of Zakuul where Arcann would be able to traverse easily. How in the galaxy would he be able to come here without much notice to view his trophies?

The answer came to her quickly. He didn’t. From what she had learned of Arcann over the years, the knowledge that his enemies were locked up and hidden away were enough. It made Lana’s blood boil, that he had taken Maebry prisoner and kept her frozen in carbonite, and he most likely never bothered with her at all.

Carbonite.

That alone was it’s own set of problems. Maebry had disappeared more than three years ago. So much could go wrong with carbonite freezing. Senya didn’t know if there was an assigned physician or even if there was someone watching over the vital signs of all of the trophies. If something went wrong, if the process was imperfect, would anyone know? Would anyone be alerted to the fact?

Would anyone on this forsaken planet even care?

She saw a bench nearby and decided to risk sitting down. No doubt this area was under surveillance; she could not linger long. But Lana would linger just long enough to search for Maebry’s life force. Surely now that she knew where her lover was, she’d be able to find it.

Folding her hands on her lap, Lana closed her eyes and thought of Maebry. She wondered of the events that would have brought Maebry to be in carbonite. If Maebry had killed Valkorian, how had they overcome her? Or had the fight left her weakened, easy to capture? It would not have been Maebry’s first time fighting Valkorian or Vitiate or whatever bloody name the Emperor had wanted to call himself.

And then she reached out to the Force. She felt a slight change, enough to catch her attention. The Force beckoned her to follow.

So Lana did.

Her last thoughts had been of Maebry, so she concentrated on her lover. On the way she had bitten her lip when she was frustrated. On the way her slightly calloused fingers had felt against Lana’s skin. On the way she had been so determined to help everyone she could. At first, Lana thought it had been an act. Not even a Jedi could have been _that_ altruistic. But Maebry had been. And stars, please let her be that way again.

And then she sensed the pulse. Maebry’s lifeforce, something Lana hadn’t been able to sense in so long. But there it was, clear as day. Oh she wanted to cry tears of joy, but she was far too practical for that.

But she did decide to indulge herself, just slightly. Lana sat on the bench, simply breathing and concentrating on the Maebry, for far too long. Then reality started to kick in. Yes, Maebry was alive. But how in the galaxy would Lana be able to get her out of her carbonite prison? And worse, who could she actually trust enough to help plan a jail break? Right now, the list was embarrassingly small.

The Alliance wasn’t ready. They needed a base, they needed infrastructure, they needed personnel. Most of all, they needed _credits_. Lana’s personal funds were lower than she liked. Soon she wouldn’t be able to bankroll the operation like she had been. Soon she would need to make a choice on what to do about it.

That would be later.

She felt a sudden need to tell someone, _anyone_ , that Maebry was alive. It would be the responsible thing, really. If something happened to Lana, someone else would need to stage the rescue. Decision made, Lana rose to her feet.

Not much time passed before she made it back to Darmas’ safe house. Thankfully, no one was there to interrupt her or worse, ask questions. Lana let herself into the small guest room and locked the door behind her. A few swift instruction on her holopad meant the bugs that Darmas had unenviabley hidden would be of no use. And then before she could change her mind, Lana connected to Theron’s frequency.

He had been true to her request, only contacting her for official business. Gone were the messages asking how she was holding up or sending her a joke he thought she would appreciate it. She found she missed his friendship more than she assumed she would. But her pride, her damn pride wasn’t quite willing to let his infraction go. She would soon, she was sure of it. Just not yet.

Theron picked up almost at once. _Lana? Everything okay?_

“Yes, for once,” Lana said, sitting down on the bed. “I found her, Theron. I know exactly where she is.”

_Shit, seriously?_ He put a hand over his mouth. _It_ _’s been so long I started to worry…_

“I didn’t,” Lana said. To her horror, her voice started to slightly crack from emotion. “Zakuul would have let the entire galaxy know if they killed her. Instead, they’ve hidden her in carbonite.”

_And let me guess. She_ _’s surrounded by guards._

“I’m sure. But I could do some surveillance, maybe try to figure out a way to get in there-”

_Slow down there, Beniko,_ Theron said, raising his hands. _You rescue her and you_ _’ll start the biggest manhunt the galaxy has ever seen. The Alliance isn’t ready for that._

As much as she hated to admit it, Theron was right. “I hate the thought of just leaving her there,” Lana said, her voice quiet. It seemed wrong somehow. But truly, it would be for the best. At least in carbonite, Maebry was safe. She was protected. Then all Lana would have to do is get the Alliance ready. Find a base, make the preparations. Then once everything was ready, she could bring her lover home.

_We_ _’ll get her out, Lana. I promise._

“Thank you, Theron,” she said. “You’re the only one who knows right now. I’d like to keep it that way.”

The look of hope on Theron’s face almost broke her heart. _You told me first? Thanks,_ he said with a slight smile on his lips. _Your secret is safe with me._ He turned his head. _Damnit, call from a contact. I_ _’ve got to take this._

“I’ll be in touch soon,” she said before cutting the connection. The conversation with Theron felt right, like a part of her came back that she hadn’t realized was missing.

She was about to give herself a moment to simply breathe when her holopad chirped with a message. Lana looked down at her holopad and her mouth went dry when she saw it was from Koth. They hadn’t spoken since they docked at Asylum. She hadn’t felt the need to reach out and he clearly felt the same, not that she could blame him in the slightest.  The message was short, much shorter than his usual missives.

_Found a new potential planet. Name of Odessen. Let me know when I can pick you up from Asylum._

_\- K_

#

“So this is it. Odessen,” Koth said. Lana could hear a hint of strain in his voice and she closed her eyes. Would she continue to alienate all her friends? If the galaxy ever found peace, would she have any friends left at all? Or would she have given them all up in pursuit of Maebry and defeating Zakuul? She decided not to linger on the answer. “And before you even ask, there aren’t any shadowports. Planet’s small enough so I could do a look-see on all three continents.”

“Any major predators?” Lana asked, keeping her eyes closed. She reached out with the Force and basked in the sense of neutrality she found.

“Only one that I could find. A beast of some sort. Some of them have stealth. I call ‘em Shadow Beasts,” Koth said, finally sounding a bit like his usual self. “I am nothing if not original.”

Placing her hands on her knees, Lana started breathing evenly, trying to get a better handle on the world below them. Through the Force, she called to the planet. Asked for it to reveal her secrets, to show Lana the essence of the world.

The planet answered.

Lana saw the future of the Alliance. She saw the base they would build, glimpses of the battles they would fight. Oh it would not be easy, the road ahead. Death would embrace the planet. For a time, people from both the Republic and Imperial Empire would live and die on this world. Something strong in the Force, something _hungry_ , would be lost on this world. But that wasn’t all Lana noticed.

She saw Maebry.

Maebry would walk on this world some day. Of this, Lana was absolutely certain.

Lana’s eyes opened with a start and she took in a quick breath. “I need to go down there. To meditate.”

Scratching the back of his neck, Koth said, “You sure? Last time we ended up on a planet it didn’t go so well.”

“I’ll bring HK with me,” Lana said, already entering the commands on the console. The droid had been stuck on her ship while she was on Zakuul. It had let her know that it was bored. Several times. At least this would give it _something_ to do, even as just a guard. “I’d like you to stay on the ship, please. I want to be the only living thing on the planet.”

“Besides all the wild animals, right?” Lana shot him a look. He should have understood her meaning. But he held up his hands and added, “Only intelligent living thing down there. Right.”

She waited patiently for her favorite moment when she flew: the transition between space and sky. It was so quick, if she blinked, she would have missed it. But then Odessen opened up in front of them. “It’s beautiful,” Lana whispered. This was a world where the Alliance could get their start, then build up into something special. It wouldn’t be hard to convince someone to come to this world.

A temperate world, even at the equator. That’s where the hunt for a base would begin. Some place near water. Perhaps a valley and mountains for defense? The possibilities felt endless with this place.

“Here,” Lana said, entering a set of coordinates. “Here is where I want to start.”

#

Something clicked the moment she stepped off the shuttle.

Koth didn’t linger and the ship disappeared quickly, leaving Lana and HK-55 alone on the world. “Disapproving: I see no hostiles to decimate,” HK-55 said.

“HK, I’m going to ask you to stay right here and stand guard,” Lana said. Over their time traveling together, she had learned that she needed to phrase requests in a certain way or the droid would complain to no end on how it’s skills were being wasted. “I’m going to look over this area and I don’t want to be flanked.”

“Determined: No one will disturb you, my lord,” HK-55 said, taking out it’s rifle. “I will make sure of it.”

“Thank you, HK,” Lana said, hoping she didn’t sound too eager. She wanted to get a feel for this world, to see if she could perhaps see another glimpse of it’s future. For it wasn’t Lana’s future she saw. It was the planet’s.

For now, though, she would be content with exploring. A slight breeze kissed her cheeks as she walked, causing strands of hair to blow in her face. She really ought to get her hair cut, but it was such a trivial matter that she never seemed to remember. “And what sort of secrets do you hold?” Lana asked softly, all but ready to kneel on the ground and plunge her fingers into the dirt. Anything to facilitate a connection to this place.

Sadly, the planet did not answer. But any disappointment was quick lived as Lana reached out through the Force. She sensed no light. She sensed no dark. All she could sense was a perfect balance. A true neutrality. Lana smiled softly, knowing she had found the Alliance’s home. This world was not perfect - the beasts might cause an issue - but it would do. Here was a place they could build.

A tug in the Force caught her attention. After all these years of studying the Force, Lana accepted when it was time to put down her pride and follow the Force. She knelt on the grass, resting back on her heels, and closed her eyes.

The balance of the planet washed over her and she found herself almost wanting to weep, being so close to peace. But Lana wasn’t at peace, was she? How could she be when Maebry was lost to her, perhaps in more ways than one. Could she trust her lover after discovering the truth about Rane Kovach? Did she want to?

The answer to that was simplicity itself. Of course she wanted to. She wanted to trust Maebry with everything and in anything.

Captain Mai’s words from so long ago came back to her. _I just have to believe this isn_ _’t treason._ Perhaps Maebry struggled with that as well. If she had told Lana the truth about Kovach, would she have been betraying the Republic? In the end, Lana supposed it didn’t matter. To hold on to such a grudge when the fate of the entire galaxy - both Republic and Imperial - was at stake seemed petty at best and cruel at worst.

And then there was the truth about it all.

Her body still _ached_ for Maebry’s touch, even after everything. Three years. Three years of searching and hunting and chasing and some days it had seemed like Lana would never, ever find her lover. Now, she knew exactly where she was. Could go to Zakuul and back to that non-descript building any time she wanted to.

No matter what had happened with Kovach, Lana still loved Maebry. She couldn’t imagine that changing for the rest of her life. And if fate allowed them to be together again some day…

She found Maebry’s essence through the Force and concentrated. Now that she knew where Maebry was, Lana could reach out almost any time to meditate on the lifeforce that was so dear to her. But here on Odessen, on a neutral world, her essence was stronger, wrapping around Lana almost like a cloak.

The comfort Maebry provided almost felt like a gift, one Lana wasn’t quite sure she deserved. Well, all she could do was try to be worthy.

Saving the galaxy would certainly be a start.


	21. Intimidation

The entire room felt sterile.

Lana sat in an uncomfortable chair, facing an empty desk. The desk gave off absolutely no personality, no hint about the owner. Sterile. If she wasn’t Sith, she might find herself intimidated by the whole set up. Which is of course exactly what the International Banking Clan would want.

She had hoped it wouldn’t come to this. That her personal fortune would be enough to bankroll the entire Alliance in the beginning. But Lana’s personal fortune was tied up with her mother’s company. And thanks to the blockade and her mother’s desire to help the people of Dromund Kaas at their own expense, credits were disappearing more quickly than could be replaced.

It would never cease to amaze her just how many credits were needed in order to start this Alliance. First, there were her own travel fund needs. Fuel was at a premium these days, thanks to the Eternal Empire destroying so many fuel stations in the beginning of the war. The fact that the engine for her personal shuttle had been retrofitted with the need for Isotype-5 made things even worse. Maintenance had a cost. Even simple things like rations took more credits these days.

And then there was her network. The costs for her personal holoservers alone kept her worrying at night. But she had no choice. The last thing Lana would do was risk sending sensitive information through a non-encrypted channel. Bribes were needed for many of her more skittish contacts. All in all, if something wasn’t done to change the state of her finances, Lana predicted she would be out of funds in two years. Maybe less. That wasn’t acceptable.

Originally, she had thought to go to the Hutts for money. The Eternal Empire had mainly left them alone so far, with the exception of a Star Fortress above Nar Shaddaa. Other Hutt worlds had not been affected and therefore not forced to pay the ridiculous tribute that Zakuul demanded from both the Republic and Imperial Empire. Lana didn’t like the idea of being in the Hutt’s debt, so when Theron contacted her about a possible lead for credits, she jumped at the chance.

Her relationship with Theron still felt shaky, as if they were on ice ready to crack. For her part, she had tried, oh she had _tried_ to view the situation objectively. But she knew the real hurt wasn’t with Theron, but with Maebry. And since Lana couldn’t confront her lover, fair or not, apparently taking things out on Theron was the next best thing. For the good of the Alliance, she needed to put her hurt feelings behind her, but of course, that was easier said than done.

Behind her, the door to the office opened. She could hear the mechanical whirrings of a protocol droid walking towards her. Lana had not come all this way, jumped through the clan’s many hoops, only to talk to a droid. The protocol droid stood besides the desk. “Lord Beniko, if you could please follow me.”

Lana gave no outward sign of annoyance. The last thing she needed was to give the clan any information in regards to her mental status. From Theron’s report, they were experts at turning that sort of thing into an advantage for themselves. She had prepared for today carefully, wearing her formal Sith robes, her own attempt at leveraging the situation. Let them remember that she was a powerful Sith in her own right. Though somehow, she didn’t imagine her own attempts of intimidation would work.

She followed the protocol droid into a hallway, just as sparse as the room they had exited. Clearly any funds the clan received didn’t go towards their decor.

Or did they… Lana thought as she was brought into a richly decorated office. Light color wood panels covered the walls with thick plush carpeting on the floor. The desk looked to be real wood, not manufactured, an expense not many could afford these days. Art work, possibly originals, lined the walls. This is a room Lana would have liked for herself, if she ever had a space larger than her small apartment.

“Would you like any refreshment?” the droid asked. A hint of courtesy could be heard in the voice. Whoever programmed it cared a great deal about presentation.

“I’m fine, thank you,” Lana said as she sat down on an upholstered chair. She didn’t want to be beholden to the banking clan any more than she had to be.

“Master Zelka will be in to see you shortly,” the droid said before turning and walking out the room.

She assumed somewhere she was being recorded, so Lana simply leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs at the knee. No doubt they would keep her waiting for some time, hoping she’d get angry, and then using that anger against her come bargaining time. But what the clan didn’t realize was unlike many Sith, Lana had patience. It was a lesson her mother taught her well.

So she waited, not showing any outward sign of annoyance. While she did, Lana made lists in her head, trying to figure out which of her agents was overdue for a check-in and which she could leave alone for now. The last thing she wanted to do was crowd her agents. They needed space to do their job, just like she needed space to do hers.

When the door behind her opened, Lana took care not to make any sort of reaction. Let this initial introduction be on her terms. She could hear heavy footsteps and a small gait. Before she had a chance to truly speculate, an Ugnaught stood besides her chair.

Her universal translator would be more than up to the task. She stood up, wanting to first control the tempo of the meeting. “Thank you for meeting with me today,” Lana said. If her banker had been human or near-human, Lana would have shaken hands with the woman. Instead, she brought her arms up to her chest, crossing her wrists. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Korin Zelka,” the woman said, repeating the gesture. “Hope I didn’t make you wait too long.”

“It couldn’t have been more than a couple of minutes,” Lana said as she sat back down on the chair. They both knew it had been more than forty-five minutes, but truly. Who needed to be bogged down by details?

“Glad you weren’t inconvenienced,” Zelka said as she jumped up into her chair.

Before the banker even had a chance to settle, Lana knew it was time to strike. “So, Zelka,” she said, leaning in as if she was about to divulge a secret. “Would the International Banking Clan like to save the galaxy?”

#

“So this is Odessen, huh?” Theron asked.

Lana, seated for meditation on the cool grass, looked up. She had been trying to find Maebry again, but something felt different on the planet. There was a presence on Odessen that she was sure wasn’t there on her previous visit. The presence wasn’t one she felt the need to worry about. But that it was there at all troubled her. Enough that she thought about trying to find a different planet all together. But the expense and the effort couldn’t be justified, not at this point.

The Alliance needed to grow. In order to do so, they must have an actual base of operations. Odessen was it. For now, Lana would just have to keep a look out for this presence, make sure it stayed neutral, just like the planet. If it were to turn malignant, then she would have to make a decision.

She stood up, shaking the traces of meditation from her mind. “This is it,” Lana said, pleased her voice sounded welcoming. Her anger at Theron seemed to have bled out, but she would still be mindful. No doubt he would do the same. She looked over at him, when something caught her eye. A new pair of blasters sat on Theron’s hip. “New blasters?”

“Present from Jonas,” Theron said. Lana raised her brow at the slight embarrassment she heard in his voice. “Was about time I got an upgrade.”

Lana slid a finger down the casing of her lightsaber. This had been her lightsaber since she was seventeen years old. At this point, she couldn’t imagine putting it aside for a new one. This lightsaber, and her ability to wield it, had saved her life more than once.

“So you’re at the stage where you’re accepting presents, now?” Lana asked, ignoring the slight pang of jealousy in her stomach. Not jealous of Jonas, of course not. Even if she was free, Theron was not even remotely her type. The jealously came from the fact simply that Jonas was there. Theron could contact the man whenever he liked. They could buy each other presents. Even before Maebry’s disappearance they couldn’t do that. Instead communicating only with brief, encrypted messages, both of them far too aware of the price if their relationship became public.

“I really don’t want to talk about it,” Theron said. He suddenly winced and brought his hand up to an implant.

“Theron, are you alright?” Lana asked.

“Yeah,” Theron said quickly. “One of my implants is overdue for some maintenance. Just haven’t found the time.”

Somehow, Lana thought there was more to the story than that. But truly, his implants were none of her business. She wondered if it was his way of trying to use the Force. Being Force-blind meant he needed to compensate somehow. Shame that she never thought to ask about the story behind his implants when they were in hiding all those years ago. To ask the question now would feel forced. And things were already tense enough between them.

“Why don’t I show you my plans?” Lana asked. Since her meeting with the banking clan, since the pressure had been eased from her shoulders, all she had done was plan. Having the freedom to actually start figuring out numbers and options gave her a great deal of peace. The Alliance was real and soon, they would have a base of operations.

“Lana, wait,” Theron said. She looked over at him and to her surprise, he seemed nervous. The tells were small. A furrow of the brow while he bit his lower lip. But they were there. “I need to say something.”

She could only think of one topic that would cause nerves on his end. Better to discuss this now rather than later, she supposed. Clasping her hands behind her back, Lana said, “I’m listening.”

“Okay, so for someone who is supposed to be a spy, and good at the whole interpersonal thing, I am crap when it comes to friendship,” Theron said, hands on his hips. He looked down at the ground, kicking a bit of dirt with his toe. “Are we good? I really want us to be good, Lana. You’re about the only friend I’ve got. Or at least, I hope I’ve got.”

Lana nodded, not feeling the need to draw out the suspense. Twenty years ago, absolutely. She would have milked out her response as long as she could. Now? She doesn’t have time for that. Neither of them did. “We’re good, Theron,” she said. What choice did she have? This was not the time to be selfish and hold on to a grudge. “I just really wish you had told me about Kovach once you left the SIS, but I suppose I understand. That was a chaotic time for everyone.”

Theron closed her eyes and Lana could sense his relief; it all but poured out of him. “Thanks, Lana,” he said. “I’ve been trying to keep an eye on Kovach, best that I can. Looks like he settled on Nar Shaddaa. Who knows, maybe we could end up using him as an asset some day.”

“I’d rather have assets I can trust, thank you,” Lana said, crinkling her nose. Though trust seemed like an illusion these days. “But we’re hardly in the position to be picky, I suppose.”

“True enough,” Theron said, shaking his head. “So you wanted to show me around?”

Without another word, Lana walked towards the edge of the cliff, which overlooked the valley and what she hoped would be the future home of the Alliance. “I’m thinking an underground base,” she said, pointing towards a mountain. “That mountain might do. We could even carve out a hangar. We’ll need a place for small ships to land.”

Theron let out a low whistle. “A secret underground lair built into a mountain. What, no volcanoes available?” At her sharp look, Theron held up his hands. “Kidding, kidding. That is going to cost a ridiculous amount of credits, Lana. I thought we were going broke. Wasn’t that why you needed to meet with the Intergalactic Banking Clan?”

Lana raised her brow. “And I did,” she said. “Hence calling for a secret underground lair.”

“You got the credits,” Theron said, sounding almost relieved. “Thank the stars. War really is ridiculously expensive, isn’t it?”

“What I have is a line of credit,” Lana said, thinking back to her meeting. It had taken far less time to convince the banker to do the right thing. “It wasn’t a gift. It was a loan. Thankfully the IBC realized that someone needed to stand up to Emperor Arcann before he came after them as well. It will all need to be paid back. Thankfully the terms are quite reasonable.”

More than reasonable, to be honest. No doubt the International Banking Clan was running scared with Arcann gobbling up much of the galaxy’s resources.

Theron started tapping his foot, something he only did when he was nervous. She quickly put the pieces together. The gift of blasters, his out of date tech, the nerves. “Theron, how would you feel about a monthly stipend while the Alliance is getting up on its feet?”

He reacted much like she assumed he would. “I’m not interested in your charity, Lana,” he said with a scoff.

“How is this charity?” Lana asked, holding out her hands. “It would be the Alliance paying you, not me. The credits would not be coming from my personal funds. I need you at your best. If you’re worrying about credits, that will distract you from your objective.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Theron said. “Just doesn’t sit well with me.”

“Why? You were paid a salary with the SIS, were you not? How is this any different?” Lana asked. Save her from stubborn men’s pride.

Theron let out a chuckle while he shook his head. Clearly the battle had been won without much effort on her part. “Why do you have to be all logical like that?” Theron asked, his voice strained. “I’ll take the damn stipend.”

“Good. Might I suggest a new jacket?”

“Oh that’s a low blow, Beniko. I just happen to like this jacket,” he said, rolling his shoulders. But he laughed and that was exactly what Lana hoped when she asked the question. “It was actually sort of expensive. Don’t feel like I’ve gotten my money’s worth out of it yet. Give me a couple of decades. Then we’ll talk.”

“Deal,” Lana said, turning her attention to the mountain ahead of them. “We’ll need to start bringing in some more people. And soon.”

“Yeah,” he said. “It’ll change things. I’ve gotten used to this being a small operation, like back on Rishi. But you’re right. We can’t do this alone. We need more than our networks.” He put his hands behind his head and took a breath. “I’m thinking a military branch, definitely. We’ll need outside help for that. Neither one of us has that sort of background.”

Lana brought out her holopad, wanting to write down ideas as they started to flow. “Perhaps a technology division? Both the Imperial Empire and the Republic seem to be at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to tech.”

“Good call. We’ve got our own personal spy networks, so we’re good there. What would you think about getting some smugglers involved? Probably better for transporting goods,” Theron said.

“I know a couple of good smugglers,” Lana said, making a note to contact Sohnar and Sohnet. She had kept in touch with both of them for all these years. They seemed quite amendable to providing her information. For a price, of course. “I’ll reach out to them. Can you think of anything else?”

“So this might seem like a crazy idea,” Theron said, scratching the back of his neck. “But what about a division specifically for Force users. There’ve got to be Jedi and Sith out there that would be willing to join us. I can’t imagine the Sith are crazy with Acina being in charge. And there have _got_ to be Jedi out there somewhere. Maybe we can find them.”

Theron’s idea had merit, she realized. Enough merit that Lana was a tad annoyed she hadn’t thought of it herself. She wondered if Jedi and Sith would be willing to work together for the fate of the galaxy. Jedi, perhaps. But hardly any Sith were pragmatic as she was. A pity, really. “An excellent idea, Theron.”

“I do have them occasionally.” A slow smile spread across Theron’s face. “This is actually going to happen, isn’t it? We’re finally going to start fighting back.”

“Do not get too far ahead of yourself. We have the start of a plan. Next, we need to actually implement it.”

“You couldn’t just give me one minute to bask?” Theron asked. “Yeah, it’s a shit ton of work, but we’ll get it done.”

Lana looked across the valley, picturing what the place might look like once they were done. Shuttle pads and merchants. Maybe even a cantina. Stars knows they would need a place to relax now and then once the Alliance truly got underway. “We will,” she said softly, thinking of the brief glimpses of the future Odessen had granted her. “I know we will.”


	22. A Heavy Heart

The datawork had been atrocious to get to this point.

Lana stepped off the transport and had to shield her eyes from the sun. So this was Voss. She had heard plenty about the place and of their people. But never had any excuse to go here herself. And frankly, she didn’t want to. She had no use for a people who elevated their mystics so highly. The rumor that every single mystic’s vision had come true throughout the ages seemed absolutely preposterous. Any vision could come true if one twisted the words around enough. Yet so many young Sith had clamored for the chance to be assigned to Voss, hoping for a brief audience with one, so they could discover their future.

She had no desire to know her future. But she would know the planet.

A month ago, she had felt the pull through the Force, telling her to go to Voss. After spending her entire life willingly following where the Force led, Lana certainly wasn’t going to stop now. Hoisting her duffel bag over her shoulder, Lana started walking towards the Imperial embassy at a quick pace. It had taken almost a month to complete the appropriate datawork to be awarded a travel voucher. She would only be allowed to stay a week, so Lana didn’t want to waste a single moment.

But now that she was here, she wasn’t quite sure what to do. Hopefully meditating would do the trick.

The embassy she walked into was a bit more shabby than she had been led to believe. But it would do. Here she could get a hot meal and a bunk. She would have much preferred to land her own shuttle down on the planet, but the Voss rules forbade it.

Thankfully, while embassy staff might work in less than optimal conditions, they were extremely organized. Less than ten minutes later, Lana was led into a private bunk, which would be hers for the week. The staff apologized for the size of the room, clearly expecting her to portray a Sith’s entitlement. She had no need for such machinations.

Lana wasted no time when she was alone in the room, getting down on her knees to meditate. Eyes closed, she focused on the Force, wanting to know Voss’s secrets.

She had assumed the planet might be neutral, like Zakuul or Odessen. That would explain their mystics, so similar to the Scions. But Voss was anything but. Both light and dark surrounded the planet, but the Force was at war here. Each side trying to dominate the other. She opened her eyes, already feeling the beginning of a headache. There would be no peace for her on Voss, not when the Force was ready to erupt at any moment. She wondered what would happen to the planet if either light or dark won out some day. Lana did not think she would want to be there when that happened.

But now she had a bigger mystery. How to get out of Voss-Ka. Her travel voucher wouldn’t allow her to leave the city. And while she might not be sure what exactly she was looking for, she could tell the answer wasn’t in Voss-Ka. Luckily, she had someone to call.

Fraeja, the former Cipher Nine, answered the holocall almost at once.

_And what can I do for the former Minister of Sith Intelligence?_

Fraeja never seemed to tire of reminding Lana of her old position. Lana supposed she understood. Intelligence had done awful things to the agent. But they lived in awful times and sacrifices needed to be made. Not that she would ever condone what had happened. There were much better ways to keep agents in line.

“You were on Voss years ago,” Lana said, cutting straight to the point. They both deserved that. “I need to get out of the city yet my voucher doesn’t allow that. Do you have any ideas.”

_Voss?_ Fraeja asked, clearly surprised. _I_ _’ll tell you what you need to know on one condition. There’s a tea house in Voss-Ka. If you could find out about the family who owns it. How they’re doing?_

“That seems easy enough,” Lana answered. Her curiosity wanted to know more, but it wasn’t any of her business. “Then you know how to get out of the city?”

_It_ _’s simple, really. Tell a guard that your heart is heavy and they’ll practically do anything to help. A bit pathetic, really. But quite convenient. What you want is for them to send you to the Shrine of Healing,_ Fraeja said, crossing her arms over her chest. _Then I_ _’m assuming you can sneak your way out once you’re there._

“My heart is heavy? Interesting,” Lana said. It technically wouldn’t even be a lie these days. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had no burdens. “Thank you very much. I’ll see what I can find out about that tea house.”

_Appreciate it,_ Fraeja said, her voice bright. _Always good when we can help each other out, isn_ _’t it?_

The comm went silent and Lana stood up, ready to see what sort of help a heavy heart would earn her.

#

Lana stood in front of the Shrine of Healing, the back of her skull practically singing. This was where the F0rce had wanted her to go. Here. There was a mystery to unlock in this place and she wanted to get to work. She had thought to only use the Shrine as an excuse to head somewhere else, but this was not to be the case. Her purpose lay in the path before her.

She thanked her transport and headed inside the Shrine. Another tug of the Force, this time one as familiar as herself. With a start, Lana realized that Maebry had walked these halls once. She had known Maebry had been to Voss, but not that she had been to the Shrine of Healing. She wondered if that was a sign of some sort.

“Your purpose here?” a Voss attendant asked quietly.

The height of the Voss would take some getting used to. Lana was a tall woman herself, but these Voss towered over her. She was not used to looking up to speak to women. “My heart is heavy,” Lana said at once. In Voss-Ka, she had practically cringed when she said the words. But not now. Not when the Force was clearly showing her the way into the Shrine. Her heart _was_ heavy and perhaps the Shrine would even do some good.

“Follow me,” the attendant said. “A mystic waits.”

A mystic? That Lana did not expect. But if that was to be her path, she would not resist.

The walk deeper into the Shrine seemed to take ages. If truly ill or injured people came to the Shrine, they must have some sort of accommodation for them. She couldn’t imagine a small child or someone with a broken leg trying to make this walk. It would almost be cruel. She couldn’t even see an elevator to get to the second level. The lack of accommodations for the infirm and disabled were absolutely shameful. 

But finally the attendant brought Lana into a large room and told her to wait. Lana complied, settling on the ground to meditate. The room felt serene. Lana didn’t trust serene.

Time passed. Lana was unsure how long she meditated. Long enough for her knees to ache slightly and to have need to stretch her shoulders when she finally heard footsteps behind her. Lana stood at once, ignoring the way her body twinged from the prolonged stillness.

A woman in simple robes stood in front of her. Lana certainly wasn’t an expert in Voss expressions, but if she was reading things correctly, the woman was surprised. That’s when Lana felt it, too. Just like she knew that Senya Tirall would play a part in Lana’s future, this woman would as well.

“Why are you here?” the woman asked.

To answer like she did before, that her heart was heavy, almost felt like it would be an insult. So Lana would stick with the truth. “Because the Force led me here.”

“The Force does not lead, it shows,” the woman said. Lana wondered if she would ever get used to the way the Voss spoke, with such little inflection and hardly any emotion. But then just as she was about to respond, the woman added, “It showed me you.”

Lana raised her brow at that. To think she might have been in someone’s Force vision was intriguing. “Perhaps it’s just semantics, then. I believe the Force led me to you.” She could feel the woman studying her, down to the marrow. It wasn’t right to just call her the woman when they were linked through the Force. “Your name?”

“Sana-Rae.”

Sana-Rae circled Lana once. If she didn’t have the utmost confidence that Sana-Rae meant no harm, Lana might think she was trying to intimidate her.

“You are fractured,” Sana-Rae announced. “I cannot make you whole, but I can help. This is the path you are meant to walk.”

“I am not fractured,” Lana said, trying to keep the defensiveness out of her voice. But wasn’t she? Without Maebry, without knowing how she was doing as she lay locked away in carbonite, did feel like Lana was missing a part of herself. Yet to admit that out loud would be impossible.

“I say what I see. You are fractured,” Sana-Rae said. “Let me help.”

Lana had heard about some of the rituals on Voss, how they swirled up memories, before announcing you whole. She had to admit, she was just curious enough that the thought of trying one didn’t seem like the worst idea in the galaxy. “Then help,” Lana said, not even caring that there was a hint of a challenge in her voice.

“A vitalicron,” Sana-Rae said as she walked over to a podium of some sort. Lana watched as she lit a match and the embers on the podium started smoking. “To me.”

Lana walked over, the sweet smell of incense appearing. She never did appreciate the smell, too cloy, too teasing. She started to turn her head away from the smoke, but Sana-Rae said, “Breathe deep. Breathe the mists.”

She complied. And a moment later, Lana passed out.

#

_“When did you become so angry at the galaxy?”_

_Lana opened her eyes and immediately tried to figure out where she was. This was either a dream or vision, not the past or the present. Maebry had never spoke those words to her before. Lana would know; she practically had every conversation she ever had with her lover memorized at this point._

_A temple. The carvings were worn and ancient and the air smelled hot and humid, like a jungle. Yavin 4, perhaps. Lana turned to look towards the voice. Maebry sat on the edge of an alter, swinging her legs back and forth. She wore no Jedi robes, but a simple tunic and trousers. Similar to what she wore the one night they went out to the cantina on Rishi. Lana didn_ _’t like this. She didn’t like the past jumbling up on her, especially when she wasn’t in any power to stop it._

_“Don’t have an answer for me, huh?” Maebry asked, amusement lacing her voice. She brought up her legs and sat cross-legged on the altar. “I guess you don’t really need to answer. We both know why.”_

_“I suppose we do,” Lana said said, taking a step towards her lover. She hadn’t aged a day since the last time Lana had seen her. So fresh and lovely. How Lana ached to hold Maebry in her arms again. A persistent want, one she wasn’t sure would ever be fulfilled. “I’ve decided it didn’t matter, you know. I’m sure you were only doing what you thought best for the Republic.”_

_“Best for the Republic military and the SIS,” Maebry said quietly. “The military is corrupt. Not evil-corrupt, but still drunk with power. The weapons of mass destruction, the infringement on people’s liberty, secret prisons… I had to do something. And it turned out that in this case something was simply doing nothing. So I didn’t say anything.”_

_Lana wondered if this could possibly be true. If somehow Sana-Rae could sense Maebry_ _’s actual thoughts or if this was what the mystic thought Lana needed to hear in order to heal. She supposed it didn’t truly matter. Not now. Not when Maebry was still lost to her._

_Maebry patted the empty space next to her._ _“Sit for a while?” she asked, her voice pleading. “We don’t have much time.”_

_She could deny Maebry nothing, not even a dream version of Maebry._ _“Time until what?” Lana asked, finding herself alarmed at Maebry’s words. She sat down and pretended she could feel the heat of Maebry’s body next to hers._

_“Until you wake up, silly,” Maebry said, resting her head on Lana’s shoulder. “Sana-Rae is preparing for it now. I like her.”_

_“She’s what caused you into being. Of course you like her,” Lana said with a laugh. She put her arm around Maebry’s shoulders and waited to wake up._

#

“You are awake. Good.”

Lana ignored the pounding behind her temple, while at the same time wished for a kolto pack. “I am,” she said as she stood up and straightened her armored jacket, hoping to preserve any dignity she had left. She looked at the embers, wondering if they would cause her to pass out again. There was no sign of incense, so hopefully this section of healing was complete.

“The vision is not for me to know,” Sana-Rae said. “That is for you and you alone. Now we speak.”

“I’m not sure what to say,” Lana admitted.

Sana-Rae nodded. “As it should be,” she said, throwing a powder of some sort onto the embers in front of her. “You are the ocean. Many predators lurk. But there is beauty as well.”

Lana bowed her head. She had little patience for Sith rituals and apparently that included Voss rituals as well. But still, she said nothing, content to let Sana-Rae speak whatever words she needed to say. She looked into the embers and with a jolt, realized she could make out shapes in the smoke.

“Your past is the current which leads you to your future,” Sana-Rae said, sprinkling more powder onto the embers. “Once you had a season of bounty.”

Through the smoke, Lana could have sworn she saw Darth Arkous. Yes, that would make sense. Before his treachery, Lana was fulfilled. Her work meant everything to her. She had friends. Her family. But then came his betrayal.

“Then that moved to a season of uncertainty,” Sana-Rae said, spreading out even more powder.

The figure changed. Arkous became Theron and Jakarro and to the side stood Maebry, in full Jedi ceremonial robes. Uncertainty? Lana didn’t understand. She was quite certain she was doing the right thing all during their campaign. At least, she thought she was. Granted, she was a bit concerned, falling for a Jedi so quickly, but she had accepted her fate easily enough.

Another change. Theron and Jakarro disappeared, leaving Maebry alone. Her armor changed, from fancy robes to plain work ones. Ones she would have probably worn when she stood on the bridge of Darth Marr’s ship.

“Now you are in season of haze. You need to find your way past the curtains in order to succeed,” Sana-Rae said, tilting her head. “That is what I see. You must find the way. For the sake of the galaxy.”

It took a great deal of effort not to roll her eyes at Sana-Rae’s proclamation. “It gives you no insight on how to make my way past the curtain?” Lana asked.

“She is key,” Sana-Rae said. “Without her, all is lost.”

Well, that was something, at least. More than vague predictions that could be told to a dozen different people. “I’ll find her,” Lana said, though her voice was anything but confident.

“You will,” Sana-Rae said simply. She threw more powder onto the embers, but instead of more smoke, the embers waned. “Would you like to make a vitalacron? Add your vision to ours. An honor for both you and us.”

“I appreciate the opportunity but I must decline,” Lana said. She couldn’t risk anyone ever seeing that vision. It would provide too much power to the one who saw the vision.

Sana-Rae nodded and then closed her eyes. She stood so perfectly still and for long enough that Lana wondered if she was supposed to just leave the room. But surely not. The Force led her here, to this moment. She was not finished with Voss or Sana-Rae yet.

“I will leave Voss with you,” Sana-Rae said suddenly. “Your Alliance, my future.”

“I beg your pardon,” Lana said, not able to keep the surprise off of her face. The thought that someone on Voss had heard about the Alliance frightened her. For now, she and Theron had decided to try to keep things quiet, only providing the information to trusted sources, especially after the fiasco with Rane Kovach. “How did you hear about the Alliance?”

Sana-Rae spread her hands wide. “A vision. More than a year ago. Given to five interpreters. All agreed. Since then, I wait. Now you are here. I will join your Alliance.”

“You would leave Voss because of your vision?” Lana asked, her mind reeling, trying to figure out some place where a Voss mystic would be helpful. “Your visions… We would have no interpreter. Would you truly want to leave everything behind?”

At this Sana-Rae looked pained. “No,” she said. “I wish to stay on Voss. Home. But the vision requires me to go. I follow the path.”

Lana trusted the Force, more than anything in this galaxy. But even she would have a difficult time packing up and leaving everything behind if the Force told her to. “We hope to have more Force users join the Alliance. I worried about putting either Sith or Jedi in charge. But a mystic? That might just work.”

“An enclave,” Sana-Rae said, sounding almost content. “Yes, that will do. I will watch. We will grow.”

“Any chance that vision of your told you if we would win or not?” Lana asked, not able to keep herself from asking the obvious question.

“I do not know,” Sana-Rae said. “I was not gifted that vision. Just that I would join you.”

“Worth a try,” Lana said. She took a breath, wondering where exactly Sana-Rae might stay for now. Construction on basic infrastructure would be starting soon. Then there would be bunks on Odessen at least. It seemed almost cruel to take Sana-Rae from her home, only to provide her with a bedroll and tent. But what other choice did she have? Hopefully the mystic wouldn’t be too picky about the accommodations.

Sana-Rae warmed her hands above the dying embers. “Come,” she said. “We shall leave Voss. To my new home.”


	23. Bridges

From her shuttle, Lana kept her eyes on the horizon of Odessen, amazed that she could easily pick out the camp from above. How the Alliance’s small base camp had grown from two small tents.

“It looks like we might be in luck, Sana-Rae,” Lana said with a pleased hum. “I see the beginning of infrastructure. Perhaps they might have a bunk house complete.”

The journey from Voss to Odessen had taken more than a week, due to a quick stop at Port Nowhere to meet with a contact from Imperial Intelligence. Loyalty tests were well underway with one spy discovered, though from the Chiss Ascendancy, not the Republic. Lana’s reach to the Chiss was extremely limited. Sith Intelligence didn’t have a single deep cover agent on Csilla and Lana knew it would be the same for the Alliance. Lana had several Chiss contacts, but none that might be willing to risk their lives by going back to their home planet.

“To sleep under the stars would be a gift,” Sana-Rae said. “I will be content no matter where I am. This is my path.”

After traveling together for more than a week, Lana had to admit, Sana-Rae’s calm acceptance of the complete upheaval of her life absolutely baffled her. Lana’s life had been similarly thrown into chaos the moment the Eternal Empire invaded Korriban. But had Lana accepted that? The proof was in the small outpost in front of them. She clearly hadn’t. And she wouldn’t, not until she was content with the galaxy she lived in.

No true landing pad had been built yet, so Lana parked the shuttle not too far from the outpost. “HK,” Lana called out over her shoulder. “Please do a security sweep of the perimeter outside.”

“Satisfied: Of course, master.”

HK-55 left the ship, leaving Lana and Sana-Rae alone. She looked at the mystic and while Sana-Rae seemed serene, Lana had learned some of her tells over the past week. Sana-Rae clutched at the fabric in her robes while taking deep, steady breaths, clearly nervous.

“You’ll find a home here,” Lana said quietly, hoping her words weren’t false.

Sana-Rae simply nodded. There had been a great many long stretches of silence over their journey together. Thankfully, Lana was never one to fear a silent room. In fact, in some ways, it had made Sana-Rae an excellent travel companion.

Lana stood, rolling her shoulders as she did. Her body felt stiff and cramped thanks to the shuttle ride. What she’d love to do was run, run in a wide open space with the wind in her face. But while there were plenty of places on Odessen to stretch her legs, she wasn’t willing to allow herself to be so unguarded when she was in a position of authority. So a joyless run on the small treadmill on her shuttle would have to do. But there was plenty of work to do before that.

“I think you’ll like the outpost Overseer,” Lana said as she started to walk towards the hatch. She picked up one of Sana-Rae’s bag. Two duffel bags were all she brought from Voss. The mystic truly had left her life behind, going as far as to divide her entourage among different mystics.

“I hope so,” Sana-Rae said. “I hope to make friends here.”

“Even with war, there should always be time for friendship,” Lana said. Five years ago, she would have thought very differently. But then she had gone and fallen in love while trying to save the galaxy. It took that lesson to realize that the two weren’t mutually exclusive. A lesson that she was very glad to learn.

“Odessen awaits,” Sana-Rae said.

Lana couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “Yes, it does.”

#

“Master Praven,” Lana said, extending her hand to the Sith turned Jedi. Strange, seeing him wear the robes of a Jedi after all these years. Though to be honest, she hadn’t been surprised when she heard of his deflection. Years ago, almost twenty at this point - when did her youth turn into decades ago instead of only years? - she and Praven had been involved when on assignment together. He had been quite pragmatic back then, just like her. One of the reasons she had been so attracted to him. But the affair had ended when the assignment did, though their correspondence hadn’t.

“It’s just Praven to you, Lana,” Praven said, shaking her hand warmly.

She had been lucky to find Praven again in all of the madness of the last few years. But then again, he was never the type who would be willing to throw his life away eagerly. Not even for a cause he truly believed in, like the light side. She shouldn’t have doubted that he’d find a way to survive, even as so many Jedi were lost.

Who better to oversee building the Alliance’s base than someone who had walked the path of both Sith and Jedi? And then, of course, there was Lana’s selfish reason for wanting Praven here. He represented another tie to Maebry, even just a remote one. When Lana had heard of Praven leaving the Sith, she had no idea it had been her lover who turned him. But in a quiet conversation on Rishi, Maebry told her story of how she convinced Praven to become a Jedi all those years ago.

Just like she had tried to convince Lana to do the same.

“Thank you, Praven,” Lana said. “This is Sana-Rae, a mystic from Voss. She’ll be in charge of our Force Enclave once that’s up and running.”

Praven bowed at the waist. “Welcome, Sana-Rae. It is an honor to meet you,” he said, his voice sincere. He always had that ability, the ability to make you feel like you were the most important thing in his world at that very moment. “I wasn’t aware mystics were able to leave Voss.”

“I am not the first,” Sana-Rae said. “Gaden-Ko before me. Though he returned. When I die, it will not be on Voss.”

Sana-Rae’s words were stark and Lana couldn’t help but wonder the meaning behind them. Would she not return because of choice? Or because she couldn’t? If this Gaden-Ko had been welcomed back to the fold, why wouldn’t Sana-Rae? A shiver ran down Lana’s spine. Did Sana-Rae know the time and place of her death? Even if Lana had the power to see the future, that was one thing she would not ever want to know. When her time came, she hoped to greet death as an ally.

“A tour, perhaps?” Praven said, clearly wanting to change the subject. “The building is just getting underway, but I’m pleased with the progress so far.”

“That would be lovely,” Lana said.

Praven led them around the outpost, clearly proud of the work he and his team had accomplished. He spoke of plans for the future, landing pads and training yards. Like Lana, he saw the potential in this place, especially long-term. The war with the Eternal Empire would take years, if not decades. Odessen would need to be ready for that eventuality.

Sana-Rae stayed silent for most of the tour, until they reached one section in the underground cave, which would be the main base of operations. “The Enclave will be here,” she said, placing a hand on the wall.

“I believe I have this flagged as technological support,” Praven said, bringing up his holopad.

“Listen,” Sana-Rae said quietly. It was not a command, but she spoke with such a gentle authority, that both Lana and Praven did just that.

Lana closed her eyes and sensed the Force, stronger here than in other sections of the cave. Perhaps it was the small natural pools or something in the walls. Whatever it was, Sana-Rae was correct.

Just as Lana turned to Praven to tell him so, he said, “I feel it, too, Sana-Rae. This indeed will be the Enclave. I’ll make whatever adjustments needed.”

Sana-Rae smiled slightly. “The start of a new home. I am pleased.”

#

“Absolutely not,” Lana said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Oh, come on,” Theron said, sounding just as exasperated as she felt. “What’s wrong with him? Freddie basically has a flawless record.”

She sighed, wondering how to explain her objections without Theron becoming insulted. “I have no issue with the commander of Havoc squad,” she said firmly. “Commander Fredgar Trevla is a seasoned, experienced officer.”

“But?”

“But, since you asked, he did take down General Rakton, who is still in Republic custody, even with this bloody war. You’d think the Republic would try to use the assets they had on hand,” Lana said, remembering when she heard the news of General Rakton’s capture. No one believed it at first. It had taken a holo of him in prisoner’s grab in a cell before most people accepted the situation. And the arrest still was an open wound, one that choosing a member of Havoc Squad to lead the Alliance’s forces would keep open. “I’d prefer the commander of our Alliance forces to be someone a bit less, shall we say, partisan?”

Theron brought down his hand on the counter with a hearty smack. They stood in what would some day be a cantina for the Alliance. For now, though, it was a large cave with some portable tables and chairs, with a few counters. Not quite a place to relax yet, but beggars could not be choosers. “Damnit, Beniko,” Theron said and for a moment, Lana worried if he was truly upset with her. “You’re right.”

She tried to hold back a smirk. “I tend to be on matters of personnel.”

“Balkar’s telling me that Freddie’s itching to help out,” Theron said. “His wife’s the only thing that’s holding him back. Elara’s die hard Republic. Thinks they have a better chance of defeating the Eternal Empire than the Alliance.”

“That seems a bit naive,” Lana said, drumming her fingers on the counter in front of her. She understood the sentiment, truly she did. If the Imperial Empire were stronger, Lana would want the same thing. But she had faced reality that they were not. “Especially from someone who used to be an Imperial officer.”

Theron snorted. “Hadn’t thought about it that way, but yeah,” he said, running his hand through his hair. “So what do we do? It’s not like there’s a perfect answer for the military division like your Sana-Rae. Whoever ends up running the military division is gonna be an Imp or Pub. Unless you’ve found some mythical third group than can join us.”

“I have not,” Lana admitted. Truth be told, she didn’t have more than any token suggestions. The Imperial military was running on fumes at this point, it seemed. Many of the Moffs that should be running the Imperial’s military campaigns had either been killed or were listed as missing in action, which amounted to the same thing. She was almost hesitant to lure one or more of the top military minds away from the Empire because of this. Granted, her priority was the Alliance, that much she knew for certain. But Imperial blood still ran through her veins. Her mother still lived on Dromund Kaas. Someone needed to protect them until the Alliance was in a position were they could do the heavy lifting.

“Wishful thinking on my part,” Theron said. “Gotten too used to you pulling out solutions when I can’t figure them out.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Lana said, trying to keep her smile to herself, but failing.

“Meant to be one,” Theron said, his voice sounding absolutely genuine. “So what do you think?”

Lana waited a few moments before answering. Why did it feel she was sacrificing something here? “I will be content with a member of the Republic army leading our forces,” she said. Theron brightened, but she put up a hand to quell that excitement. “But not Major Trevla. Surely your list doesn’t begin and end with him?”

“No, of course not,” Theron said too quickly to be convincing. “I’ll have a few more names for you tomorrow.”

She nodded and a silence settled over the two of them. Theron, to his credit, had kept to her request of not discussing anything other than Alliance business with her. He kept to that even after she told him they were on good terms. But she supposed he was waiting for her to renew that easy friendship they had, where they could talk about anything. Now that a bit of distant had passed, Lana could see just how ridiculous she had been. But not even she could control all of her feelings all of the time. And learning that both Maebry and he had held secrets from her _hurt._

But it also hurt not to have Theron as a friend, especially since Koth had eased up on their communications, understandably so. Was this how she would go through life now? Eventually ruining all of her friendships? She’d like to think not. Perhaps this was a chance to change things. Lana couldn’t survive in this galaxy completely cut off from personal relationships. As much as she told herself, again and again, that only her work mattered, deep down, she knew that not to be the case.

“So Jonas is still around?” Lana asked, a slight hesitation in her voice. Theron looked over to her and she could sense a hint of a smile at his lips. The start of a bridge between them again. “Did you two ever settle things between you?”

Theron chuckled and said, “Ah, if you’re wondering if we still sleep together, the answer is no. That ended a bit ago. Probably for the best. Still talk, though. He’s my most important contact in the SIS. I know it and he knows it. Not gonna ruin that because of an ill-advised fling.”

“Very wise,” Lana said, leaning her forearms on the counter in front of her. “There’s too much at stake for hurt feelings.” She could almost sense the smirk on Theron’s face. “And yes, before you say anything, I’m including myself in that statement.”

“Wasn’t planning on saying a word,” Theron said, holding up in hands in seemingly self-defense. “Promise.”

“You were thinking it,” Lana said, intertwining her fingers together. “Don’t even try to deny that.”

Theron shadowed her position, arms on the counter, before bumping her shoulder with his. He caught her eye and smiled, a smile that Lana found herself returning. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

#

“Admiral Bey’wan Aygo.”

Lana took the offered holopad from Theron and leaned back in her chair. After a good night’s sleep, they met in the would-be cantina again. They needed a war room, and quickly. Lana didn’t like being out in the open like this. Yes, she trusted every person on this planet - they were all hand-picked by her, after all - but that didn’t mean she wanted Alliance business being known by all of them. She would have to talk to Praven about adjusting the schedule to start the underground base.

The holopad gave her statistical information. His age, his race, highlights from his career. But those were of secondary importance. “Make you case for him,” Lana said. If Theron thought this Bothan was the right man for the job, Lana wanted to know _why._

“Ah, okay,” Theron said. “Feeling a little put on the spot right now, but here goes. Since the Eternal Empire attacked the Republic, almost all he’s done is make counterattack plans for the navy. But as we both know, Saresh being Saresh, refused them all.”

“I’m assuming that’s with the navy, with ships. What about troops?” Lana asked. That was her concern. She needed someone leading the troops who would be respected, who would be able to motivate the soldiers. She was a realist. It might be years before they had the firepower to bring down the Eternal Empire. In that time, could this man help keep up morale?

“Everything I’ve heard is that he believes in an encouraging environment. That’s not bad, right?” Theron asked.

“So he coddles them?”

“No one is coddled in the navy, Lana, not even Republic soldiers,” Theron said. Lana heard a hint of frustration in his voice, so she decided not to push too hard. They’ve all been running ragged for years now. Would there ever be a time when they could rest? Somehow, she thought not.

Lana handed Theron back the holopad. “I’d like to meet him before we make a decision,” she said. “Do you think that’s something that could be arranged? I’m willing to go to Republic space for a meeting.”

Theron nodded. “Here’s the best part about Aygo. He’s been dismissed from service. Those plans he kept making? They got on people’s nerves. Cause why bother fighting the real enemy when you could just throw yourself at the Sith Empire?”

“Then bring him here,” Lana said at once. He sounded very much like a potential asset and assets needed to be protected. “Even if he doesn’t end up leading the military division, I’m sure we can find an appropriate position for him.”

“Fair enough,” Theron said.

Lana picked up her own holopad, which had seen messages waiting. She wouldn't listen to them here, but it was comforting to know that out there, her agents were still working and still fighting. That there were scores of people wanting to take down the Eternal Empire and give the Imperial Empire and the Republic back their freedom.

And here, in this little cave which might someday be a cantina, would be the base of it all. She stood. “I’ve a great deal of work to do,” Lana said. Placing her hand on Theron’s shoulder, she added, “I’m glad you’re here, Theron.”

He looked too surprised to answer, so Lana started to walk towards her shuttle, where she would have the privacy needed to work. She concentrated on the Force, and found that sliver of a connection with Maebry. Lana could find it easily now, now that she had grown used to Odessen and it’s quirks. The pulse never failed to give her comfort, knowing somewhere, Maebry was alive.

And someday, Lana would set her free.


	24. A Knight Off

The blast came out of nowhere.

Lana’s first reaction is to shield herself with the Force, but she quickly let that idea go. On Zakuul she would only show herself as a Force user if her life depended on it. So she searched around, trying to figure out what exactly had happened.

“Woo! Firebrand!”

A number of cheers could be heard around the plaza, covering the screams of pain and fear. It took a moment, but then Lana found the source. A small explosion took out a status of the Immortal Emperor Valkorian in the park. Hopefully no one had been hurt.

_Attention citizens. Stay where you are. Do not disperse,_ came a voice over the loudspeakers.

“Great,” Lana muttered to herself. “Just bloody great.”

She hadn’t planned on taking a trip to Zakuul this week. But Senya had news she wanted to deliver in person, and the Knight was an important enough contact that Lana thought it worth the effort. So she again had her small room in Darmas’ safe house. Just her bad luck to be in the part during a Firebrand attack.

Darmas had told her a bit about this Firebrand. How they seemed to rise out of nowhere to become almost a celebrity. No one knew who Firebrand was, apparently. Lana didn’t believe that for a second. These types of attacks almost felt like an inside job. Someone fighting against Arcann, perhaps? If so, Firebrand might be a useful ally one day.

But for now, Lana needed to figure out how to get herself out of the plaza without attracting attention. Already Overwatch Intelligence Agents were walking into the plaza. Her papers wouldn’t hold up to their scrutiny. Bored custom agents in ports, yes. Trained Intelligence Officers, no.

Her eyes scanned the scene, seeing a few medical droids and repair droids. Not a single Knight of Zakuul. As long as there were no Knights to sense Lana using the Force, she had a chance. So ignoring all of the chaos around her, she closed her eyes, and tried to become small, so small that no one would notice her. Not physically small, of course. That was impossible through the Force as far as she knew. But her essence, her sense of _self_ , would be able to be overlooked.

Lana took one step back. Then another. And another, until she was next to a large stone wall that surrounded the park. Thanks to the shadows of the tall buildings of the Spire, no light shone down on her, leaving her in the dark. For a moment, she wished she had stealth skills like some Sith and Jedi. But she had none, though the idea of keeping a stealth generator on her person at all times was quite the appealing one.

Her back flush against the wall, fingers splayed, Lana breathed as evenly and as deeply as she could. She glanced over at the gate, where two Overwatch Intelligence Agents stood. Getting out through there would be impossible, which meant she had two options. Signal Darmas so he could arrange some sort of extraction or wait it out.

The commotion of the crowd was dimming. Now that the initial shock had worn off, people had stopped taking holovids. For a Firebrand attack, this was a minor one. There had been one last week were three dozen were injured. From what Lana could tell from a distance, no one had been killed.

That meant the easiest course of action would be to wait this out. To simply stand in the shadows until she found a chance to escape.

Lana bent her knees and tried to get comfortable. This could take a while.

#

“There you are,” Raina Temple said, grabbing Lana’s arm. Lana forced a warm smile on her face and linked their arms together. All part of the act. For anyone watching in the crowded square, they were just two friends taking a stroll. “You were due to check in three hours ago. Darmas and I have been worried.”

“Did you hear about the Firebrand attack?” Lana asked as they walked. “I was in the plaza.”

“Ah,” Raina said. “We’ve got to get you a better set of papers.”

Lana wanted to agree, but truth be told, she didn’t believe she would be on Zakuul often enough to warrant it. She didn’t want to be on Zakuul at this very moment, even if it meant she was close to Maebry. “There are far more important things to worry about,” she said.

“Aren’t there always?” Raina asked as they turned a corner.

As they walked down the street leading to the safe house, still arm in arm, Lana kept a lookout for anything unusual. Without asking, she knew Raina was doing the same. The safe house was small, but still in a decent part of town. A perfect cover.

Raina opened the door, letting Lana inside. While the outside of the house matched the neighborhood around it, the inside was bare to the point of barren. Nothing that could give away anything about the identities of the people who lived here.

Darmas sat at a table, shirt sleeves rolled up, hand on the blaster at his hip. “About time. You couldn’t call?”

“Firebrand attack,” Raina said as she flopped down onto the beige sofa. “Overwatch had the usual security up, so no one could make holocalls.”

“That person is becoming a nuisance,” Darmas said, relaxing in his chair. Lana tended to agree. That sort of anarchy… It went against everything she believed in. “Have you heard her latest manifesto?”

Lana tilted her head and listened, having trouble making out the words over the static in the message. More rambling about freedom and rebellion. Nothing concrete and no real call to action. As far as Lana was concerned, this Firebrand only cared about themself and not Zakuul.

“That’s a new voice modulator,” Raina said, a frown appearing. “There’s something about the cadence in the voice that’s familiar, like I should be able to place it.” Rubbing her eyes, she added. “It’s maddening.”

“It’s impossible to know everything, Miss Temple,” Darmas said. “As infuriating as that is, all Cipher Agents learn that lesson eventually.”

“I’m ready to go to the Lady of Sorrows to find out,” Raina said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

This was something new. “Lady of Sorrows? I’ve not heard that name before,” Lana said as she sat down on the other side of the sofa.

“My newest competition,” Darmas said and Lana didn’t think she imagined the hint of bitterness in his voice. “Three months on this planet and she’s managed to get a bigger network than I have. It has to be more than one person. A single person could never set this all up.”

“Could she be an asset?” Lana asked, grabbing her holopad to take notes. There was something to be said about widening their net a bit. If they were going to find a way into Maebry’s prison, more help wouldn’t be a bad thing at all.

“I’ve tried to make contact,” Darmas said, hands on his hips. “Sent some of my best informants. She saw right through them. You’re welcome to try, but I need to focus on keeping the assets I already have instead of getting new ones.”

“Understood,” Lana said. This Lady of Sorrows sounded like a unknown quantity and if was nothing Lana appreciated less than that. Hopefully she wouldn’t be an issue down the road.

#

Nursing a slightly too sour whiskey, Lana waited at the bar. After her adventure earlier today, she wasn’t quite feeling up to going out to meet Senya. Instead, Lana invited the Knight to Darmas’ bar. Here they could go into a private booth, she could disable whatever listening devices she was sure Darmas had installed, and have a chance to speak freely.

Lana even felt a sense of anticipation about the meeting, if she was honest. There was a small part of herself that hoped she and Senya might be able to become more than colleagues, even friends perhaps. Because even if she and Theron were friends again and Koth had stopped keeping so much of a distance, Lana could always use another friend. It was a luxury she found herself wanting. She didn’t believe the Force would lead her to Senya simply have her be another contact.

Of course, if she were to become friends with Senya, she’d have to take precautions. Koth, for example, could not be told of Senya’s cooperation until absolutely necessary. Lana didn’t particularly like the idea of hiding Senya from Koth, but the animosity there was too strong.

As she waited, a gentleman walked up and stood right next to her. Lana sighed, visibly, and looked over at the man. “Chat me up at your peril,” she said in as pleasant of a voice as she could.

Without missing a beat, the man tipped his hat and walked away without a backwards glance. Thank goodness for people who understood the concept of no. Swirling the ice in her glass, Lana debated whether or not to have another whiskey. Meeting a contact tipsy was probably not the right way to do things, but Lana was finding more and more that she wasn’t quite interested in the right way to do things.

If she had been, she would still be a Sith.

Before she needed to make an actual decision, the door opened and in walked Senya. From first glance, thanks to her casual tunic and trousers, with her hair down around her shoulders, no one would ever think her a Knight of Zakuul. But even from here, Lana could sense her power.

Leaving the tumbler of whiskey behind at the bar, Lana walked up to Senya. “Come,” she said. “I reserved one of the private booths so we can talk freely.”

“I don’t think that’s possible anywhere in the galaxy,” Senya said, the smile on her face not reaching her eyes. “But I’m willing to pretend.”

The cantina was busy tonight, with most tables full. The first time Lana stepped in here almost three years ago, it was a bit of a dive. Now that Darmas had made himself quite the businessman and owned the place, he had done a number of renovations. Now the cantina looked like a place where someone might go to be seen. Granted, that was the last thing Lana wanted at the moment.

“Here we go,” Lana said, gesturing to the booth. They slipped inside, and Lana pulled over the curtains so they couldn’t be seen. Then as discreetly as she could, Lana brought out her holopad and ran a scan for listening devices. Two within the immediate area were discovered, which she quickly neutralized. Darmas would understand. “There. No one should be able to overhear us unless they’re underneath the table.”

“Should we check, just in case?” Senya asked.

For just a moment, Lana wondered if she was serious. But then the smile on Senya’s face gave it away. To keep with the levity, Lana tapped her foot against Senya’s side of the booth. “I think we’re safe. Look.” She tapped the screen of the booth’s built in holopad. A black and white video of the area just outside the booth appeared. “No one can even listen outside. Plus we can order drinks and food directly from the pad.”

“A drink sounds like a good idea,” Senya said. “Business, then a bottle of wine?”

“You read my mind,” Lana said, her cheeks warming a bit at the thought. Perhaps Senya needed a new friend just as much as Lana did.

“Reading between the lines, I gather that you and the Outlander were - are - close?” Senya asked.

The unexpected mention of Maebry stung a bit. True, her lover was never far from her thoughts, but Lana had long stretches of time when she didn’t think about Maebry at all, times when she was too caught up in work or simply trying to live her life. Perhaps that was selfish of her, but perhaps it was not. “That’s correct,” Lana said with a small nod, not trusting herself to say anything else at the moment.

“I’ve heard some rumors among the Knights.”

Lana folded her hand neatly on the table and concentrated on keeping her heart rate steady. “What sort of rumors?”

“There is talk of a tour,” Senya said. “The emperor of Zakuul is apparently not content with the adorations of his people. It’s being discussed as a victory tour, where Arcann would travel around the globe with choice spoils of war.”

“Like the Outlander,” Lana said, her voice breathy. The thought made her sick to her stomach, Arcann parading Maebry around like a a trophy. Maebry would be absolutely humiliated. But then Lana’s practical side won out. It would be so much easier to rescue Maebry if she was out of the the storage building.

Over the years, and especially since she had fallen in love with a Jedi, Lana learned that hope was a dangerous thing. Insidious, almost. Just a speck, a tiny morsel and it could spread like a wildfire, burning everything in it’s wake. Lana was teetering dangerously on the edge of hope. To have her lover by her side again, to fight together, to work to save the galaxy…

She could meet with Admiral Aygo, now the military head of the Alliance, for ideas. He tended to be unconventional and that would be what was needed.

“I see the wheels turning in your head,” Senya said quietly. “If I hear of any concrete plans, I’ll let you know right away.”

“Thank you,” Lana said, even when the words didn’t seem to be enough. “I appreciate you telling me, especially in person. That is not the sort of news I would want to hear over the holonet.”

Movement on the booth’s holopad caught Lana’s eye. Someone stood outside their booth. Lana signaled to Senya to stay quiet, at least until this eavesdropper disappeared. A moment later, another figured appeared, but this one wore a server’s uniform, and ushered the interloper out of sight. Hopefully Lana could learn later on just who stood outside their booth. Perhaps Darmas needed better security.

“We should be safe to talk again,” Lana said. “And frankly, after what you’ve just told me, I could use a drink.”

“One more minute of business, then I will happily have some wine,” Senya said. “I arranged for Vortena to see me on Asylum. Well, not me. But my ship. He and his crew hightailed it out of there the moment they realized I was there.”

“It seems like this evening will be centered around thanking you,” Lana said. She doesn’t believe in fate, not really, but whatever led her to meet Senya, she was grateful for it. “How did you manage that?”

“I have my ways,” Senya said, sounding more than a little mischievous. “I’ve managed to keep track of his ship through my contacts. He was getting too complacent, without me chasing him everywhere. I needed to scare the life back into him.”

Lana founded herself chuckling at the thought. Though she was sure Koth wouldn’t appreciate the sentiment. “As long as he’s not in custody, I’m content,” she said.

“And I believe that means it’s time to drink,” Senya said, pulling the booth’s holopad towards them. “I’m going out on a limb and will guess that you favor white wine.”

With elbows on the table and resting her chin on her hands, Lana said, “I didn’t realize I was so obvious. I suppose that means I should try to figure out you. Red?”

Lana wasn’t sure why she thought that. A silly game, perhaps, picking out wines. But she desperately needed a little silly in her life. Try as she might, keeping up the persona of the cool and collected Sith could be wearing. Everyone needed a break now and then. Even her.

“Got it in one,” Senya said, leaning back in the booth. “I suppose that only means one thing.”

“If you say to order two bottles…” Lana said with a laugh. If she weren’t in the middle of a enemy territory, she would be quite tempted to have a bottle of her own. But this was Zakuul. Even among friends at Darmas’ cantina, complete safety was impossible. She could drink, get tipsy, even. But drunk? Simply not an option.

Senya let out a laugh. “Stars, no. I have to work tomorrow. I was thinking more about meeting in the middle. A blush wine, perhaps?” she asked.

“Perfect,” Lana said, pushing the booth’s holopad towards Senya. “I’m afraid I haven’t taken the time to learn Zakuulan wines, so I’ll let you do the honors.”

Mere minutes passed before a server opened up the curtain to their private booth, holding a bottle of wine and two glasses. The server was nondescript, plain almost. Far from the type of workers Lana would have expected Darmas to hire. But that was most likely the point. The server blended in seamlessly and would hardly be noticed. Easier to move around and listen to conversations, no doubt.

But those were the thoughts of a former Minister of Sith Intelligence, not a woman about to have a night off for the first time in a very long time. Once the server had poured the wine and discreetly left the booth, Lana picked up her glass. “What should we toast?”

Senya raised her glass, a thoughtful look crossing her face. “To freedom,” she said.

Lana could drink to that. She clinked her glass to Senya’s. “To freedom.”


	25. The Hangar Bay

Nighttime was lovely on Odessen.

Lana sat on the edge of what would at some point be the base’s main hangar, swinging her legs back and forth, like she used to as a child. This had become her favorite spot on Odessen, somehow. There was something about being underground yet being able to look up at the stars that thrilled. Behind her, she could hear HK-55 patrolling, even though she didn’t feel any sort of threat. The shadowbeasts kept far from the base, as they should. A cool breeze swirled around her as she looked out into the forest over the valley. Praven had ambitious plans for the base. One day, he hoped to build out there.

But for now, the essentials would have to do.

Her eyes closed as she reached out through the Force, wanting to feel Maebry’s pulse. A few minutes passed - the Force did sadly need time to travel - but then the familiar sensation washed over her. Not quite as bright as Lana remembered, but still just as comforting.

Sudden footsteps distracted her just enough to lose the connection. She held back an obvious sigh, wondering what sort of fire she would need to put out this time.

“You’re impossible to sneak up on, you know that?”

Lana looked at to find Koth standing over her. Arching an eyebrow, she said, “I’m quite aware, thank you.”

“Of course you are,” Koth said with a laugh as he moved to sit down next to her.

While there was plenty of space between then, Lana was suddenly quite aware that this was the closest they’ve been since right after Arron Prime. She pushed away thoughts of straddling his lap as they kissed, knowing it was another pair of lips, so many light years away, that she wanted. 

“Is everything alright?” she asked as a way of distracting herself. “I hadn’t realized you were on Odessen.”

“Well, you did say we could consider this a port, right? Consider us ported,” Koth said as he leaned back on his hands. “My crew’s drinking in the cantina. They need some time to bitch about their captain for a bit before I join them.”

Lana brought up her legs, crossing them underneath her. “You think they’re disparaging you right now?”

“Oh, I know they are,” Koth said. “It’s fine. They’ll get out their complaints. Len will hopefully stay sober enough to filter out the ones that have no basis. Then best of all, when I go join them, they’ll all feel guilty for talking shit about me, so I get free drinks.”

A sound plan, Lana decided. Only one fault, though. “I don’t think the cantina is actually open for business yet, I’m afraid. If they’re drinking, they’re using their own supplies.”

“Of course they are. They’re probably drinking the good stuff, too. Way to take the fun out of everything,” Koth said.

The words were most certainly meant to be innocent, yet Lana still felt a bit of a sting from them. “I’ve been told that’s what I do best,” she said, folding her hands in her lap as she looked back outside.

An awkward sort of silence settled over them. Lana’s never been one to feel like a silence needed to be filled, but she knew from experience that Koth was the exact opposite. The fact that he wasn’t speaking made her wonder why he was here. Surely not to simply spend time together?

“Odessen’s pretty damn nice,” Koth finally said.

Lana nodded. “It is, yes. It’s going to work out very well for our base,” she said, patting the metal floor underneath her.

“This is the type of night where my mom would say it feels like you could live forever,” Koth said, his voice quiet.

From Koth’s background check, she knew both his parents were killed in a speeder accident when he was fifteen, leading him to live with relatives until he joined the Zakuulan army. In the years that they’ve know each other, Koth never once brought them up. She wondered why he did now and immediately scolded herself. Not everyone had motives behind every word and every look.

Besides, Koth was right. With the hangar lights low behind them, they could easily see the night sky, speckled with stars. “We’ll all live forever,” Lana said, keeping her voice soft to match the mood. At her darkest moments, that always comforted her. That someday she would be one with the Force, and people she cared about would be there, too.

“Not everyone is the Immortal Emperor,” Koth said, his voice sad as it always was when he mentioned Valkorian.

Lana kept herself from flinching at the casual mention of the emperor. “I meant we’ll all live on in the Force,” she said.

“And not everyone is Force sensitive.”

“It doesn’t matter if you are or not,” Lana said, leaning back on her hands to get a better view of the sky. “Everything is connected in the Force.”

“You know, I used to be so jealous of the Knights of Zakuul as a kid,” Koth said with a sigh. “Always thought I did something wrong since I wasn’t Force sensitive, like I didn’t believe in the emperor enough. Funny how things work out.”

Lana dug her fingernails into the palm of her hand. She wanted to correct him, explain more how the Force truly worked, but this was not the time. Koth was offering her an olive branch, a chance to be friends again. She would be a fool to refuse the offer.

Luckily, she was saved from answering when she heard new footsteps behind her. But these heavy metallic ones were easily recognizable as HK-55’s.

“Query: who would want to live forever?”

“Not you, HK?” Koth asked, turning to the side to look at the droid. The gesture touched Lana. So many people ignored droids, herself included before she traveled with teeseven. But Koth always treated droids like they were their own person. Commendable, that.

“Correct,” HK said, putting his blaster rifle on his back. “There is no need for that. New droids are made, old droids eventually lose their purpose. I hope to go out fighting.”

That gave Lana pause. “I don’t have a memory backup for you, HK. I assumed my mother had one for you.”

“Negative. Master Beniko asked, but respected my wishes.”

Interesting. Lana never assumed that droids would even have strong feelings about that sort of thing. How she’s proven wrong on so many things. “Understood,” she said. “If something were to happen, I’ll make sure your wishes are carried out.”

“With gratitude: Thank you, masters,” HK said before turning around and going back on patrol.

Koth craned his neck for a second, following HK’s movement. “Wait, did he just say ‘masters?’”

“He did, yes,” Lana said. “I’ve asked him to consider the advisors and some other important members of the Alliance under his protection. Honestly, it’s simply to give him something to do so that he’s not hovering over me all of the time.”

“I see how it is,” Koth said with a grin. “So you have him hover over me instead.”

Lana thought back, trying to think if she could have possibly given HK instructions that would cause him to hover. “HK hasn’t been hovering, has he?”

“Nah, but watch, now that I know this, I’ll manage to see him everywhere,” Koth said.

She felt no need to answer as another silence stretched between them. How long would Koth go before breaking this one?

Not very long.

“So you any closer to finding this magical Outlander?” Koth asked.

“Maebry?” Lana debated what to tell him. She trusted Koth, trusted him with her life, actually. But this was more important than her life. Only two other people outside of Arcann’s circle knew where Maebry was. The question became did she want to extend that to three?

She found she did. Another person knowing the truth wouldn’t compromise anything, Lana decided. Though she would have to conceal the fact that Senya knew. It had been hard trying to balance both Senya and Koth, but so far she’s managed to do just that. But as these stories go, one day, the two of them would meet. Lana would just have to hope that on that day, Koth would understand.

“We’ve found her,” Lana said, feeling a slight smile tug at her lips. “I know exactly where she is. We’re just not in a position to do anything about it yet. But we will at some point. And then she’ll come home.”

Koth didn’t answer and this time it was Lana who suddenly felt the silence uncomfortably wrap around them. She looked over at Koth, who had an expression on his face she couldn’t read. “What is this Outlander to you?” he asked.

Lana stilled, wondering how in the world Koth could have gleamed any information from her words. Yet somehow he did. She found herself wanting to do anything but lie to her friend and decided she owed him the truth. They had been working together long enough. He deserved that.

She sat up straight and looked ahead, out into the night sky. “Maebry and I were lovers,” she said quietly, looking down at her hands. “Once we’ve freed her, I hope that we will be again.”

She couldn’t be more truthful than that. Lana hadn’t given much thought to _after_ \- just getting to that point seemed like an impossible task some days - but she would like to think that she and Maebry would be able to find themselves together again. Too much had happened for them to pick up where they left off, but they could forge a new path for themselves, without worrying about being Jedi or Sith.

When Koth didn’t answer right away, Lana worried. A moment passed and Lana turned her head to meet his eye. His face still had that unreadable expression. “So you’re telling me that all of this, everything we’ve worked our asses off over the last four years has been to rescue your girlfriend?”

The injustice of the words stung. “No, of course not,” Lana said quickly. “She is much more than that. Perhaps it’s because you’ve stayed in Zakuulan space, but you don’t understand what she means to people.”

“Explain it then,” Koth said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“She’s a symbol of hope. People in the Republic celebrate her and in the Imperial Empire? They respect her,” Lana said, knowing she sounded like an idealist, but when it came to Maebry, perhaps that’s what she was. For Maebry, Lana was willing to set aside her pragmatic nature and embrace her hidden idealism. “That is… I wish I could make you understand just how rare that is. To have someone that both Republic and Imperials look up to.”

Koth stood up, but his movements were slow and had no anger in them. “And you really think she can save the galaxy?”

“I do, yes,” Lana said, each word more truthful than the last.

“I trust you, Lana,” Koth said. “Guess I’ll have to trust this Outlander, too.”

With a nod, Koth turned around and started to walk towards the exit. Lana refused to indulge in the temptation of watching Koth walk away, instead turning her sights out over the valley. Closing her eyes, she focused not on Maebry, but the planet itself. Something still felt slightly off. The balance was still there, but something had changed from the first time she stepped on this world. And it wasn’t the shiny new base.

Her holocom beeped then, the short, shrill beep that meant an emergency. At once she stood up, squaring her shoulders, ready to face whatever crisis had just landed in her lap. She took a breath and pressed the accept button.

Raina Temple appeared, her eyes wide as she cradled her right arm.

_My lord?_

Lana’s teeth clenched. Raina had given to calling her Lana over the last year. If she was using _my lord_ instead, she must be worried about being overheard. “I’m here, yes,” Lana said, purposely not using Raina’s name, just in case. “What’s the issue?”

Raina’s right arm stayed curled against her body as she rubbed her eye with her other hand. _We_ _’ve been compromised. Darmas is dead._

“Are you safe?” Lana asked, her heart starting to pound. Darmas was dead? It didn’t seem possible, but she highly doubted that Raina would lie about that sort of thing. Less than two months had passed since she was last on Odessen. She tried to think if she had made some sort of misstep or a mistake. If it had been her fault somehow that this had happened.

_Maybe? I don_ _’t know,_ Raina said, clearly trying to hold back tears. She started to walk in some unknown location. _I_ _’m trying to get to our shuttle and get off the planet._

“Do you know what happened? Darmas was there for more than four years,” Lana said, trying to figure out how this operation could have fallen apart like this.

_Darmas thinks he asked one to many questions about the Outlander._

Lana pursed her lips together, forcing herself to remain calm. So it was her fault. She had been pressing Darmas to get more information, to find out as much as possible about the building where Maebry was in her carbonite prison. But then she realized she was being ridiculous. Darmas was a cipher agent with more than thirty years experience. He would know the fine line to walk.

“The safehouse?” Lana asked. It felt cruel to press Raina on this, but the young woman wanted to be an Intelligence Agent. And Lana would treat her like one. “The data stored there?”

Almost four years had passed since Lana had first stepped on Zakuul and stayed in Darmas’ safehouse. Even though she had done everything she could to make sure she left no trace behind, it was inevitable. As much as she sometimes tried to be, Lana was not a ghost.

_That_ _’s why Darmas is dead,_ Raina said. She looked down at the ground for a moment, but when she looked up, her face was calm, almost accepting. _He stayed until the last possible second to destroy any trace of our work. He told me to leave, to get out while I had the chance, and he would make sure of everything._

“Did you leave?” Lana asked, trying to make sense of everything. “If you left, how do you know he’s dead.”

Raina held up a small beacon. _We each had one with the other_ _’s life signs. He said he’d take his cyanide pill if he couldn’t get out in time. His life signs are gone._

“I’m sorry, Raina,” Lana said quietly. “Darmas Pollaran was an excellent agent and he died well, doing his duty.”

_I know that, I know it_ _’s important to do your duty. Doesn’t make things easier,_ Raina said.

“No, it doesn’t.” Lana looked out of the hangar into the night sky, wondering if she’d ever feel that sense of peace she had earlier this evening. Her most important informants, gone. She wouldn’t be able to go back to Zakuul unless there was an absolute emergency. Not when she was a known collaborator of Darmas’. If Zakuul’s Overwatch Agency was in any way competent, Lana would be arrested on sight.

_I_ _’ve made it the ship. I should be okay now. Darmas always said the orbital security was atrocious._

“Do you want to come to the base?” Lana asked. She didn’t say the planet’s name, just on the off chance that someone might intercept the message.

Raina shook her head. _No, I don_ _’t feel safe. I don’t think I’ll feel safe anywhere._

Lana wanted to protest, but technically, she had no hold over the young woman. She was Cipher Nine’s asset, not hers. Lana had just been lucky to double dip for all these years. “Where will you go?” Lana asked. “I want to make sure you’re alright.”

_I don_ _’t want to say outloud,_ Raina said, as she settled into a pilot’s seat. _Fraeja will know. I_ _’m going back to the agency where she and I first met. Ask her what that is and she’ll tell you, I’m sure she will. I still know people there, they’ll be able to protect me._

From her own background searches on Raina Temple, Lana knew that to be the Chiss Ascendancy. This could work, Lana told herself. She had absolutely no contacts in the Chiss Ascendancy. It didn’t come close to making up for the loss of her contacts on Zakuul, but it did take the sting out a bit.

“If you need anything, just let me know,” Lana said as she decided on a tactic. She hated the idea of manipulating Raina while she was in distress, but Lana had a galaxy to save. “When you arrive to your destination, will you contact me? I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

It worked. Raina nodded. _I will. In few days._ Her eyes closed as she looked down. But then she looked up, meeting Lana’s eye. _I_ _’m sorry._

“You’ve done nothing wrong, Raina, you need to believe that,” Lana said, putting as much warmth into her voice as she could manage. “You need to believe.”

_I don_ _’t,_ she said, shaking her head. _But I_ _’ll try._

The holocall went dark and not able to control her frustration, Lana let out a burst of lightning out into the Odessen wilderness. How lovely it would be to have the time to give into worry or fear in regards to the situation. But that was impossible. She would find a way to deal with this.

She had no other choice.


	26. Favors

Lana stood at the docking bay, the skeleton of the Alliance base rising up behind her. Every day the place looked more like an actual base, yet at the same time, it would be months, almost a year before they would be finished with the actual project. But it was a start and slowly every piece was coming together.

Like the one docking now.

She waited, with her hands behind her back, as the door of the ship opened and Sohnet, one of her smuggler contacts, looked out. When she saw Lana, she waved, and climbed down the ladder. “This place is much nicer than Port Nowhere,” Sohnet said, shoving her hands in her pockets. She looked behind at her twin brother, Sohnar, climbed out of the ship. “Sohnar, let’s get ourselves a planet. Shadowport’s feeling a bit cramped lately.”

“Maybe let’s go for a moon, first?” Sohnar said. But then he tilted his head and looked at Lana. “How much did you pay for this planet?”

Lana chuckled, thinking of the months of bureaucracy she had to go through to give her the rights to the planet. One simply didn’t land on a planet and declare it theirs. “I own a small company that is a subsidiary of Beniko Industries. That company put in a bid for exclusive mining rights to this planet and won.”

“So other people know about this place?” Sohnet asked.

“No,” Lana said, with a bit of a smile. When she was forced to become a slicer on Rishi, she never would have dreamed the skills be so useful. “I sliced the information into the Imperial and Republic corporation databases that my small company had won the bid.”

Both twins hung on her every word. “Did you actually have to pay anything?”

Lana looked down and tried to hide her smirk, but ended up failing miserably. “No. Just time.”

Though for Lana, these days, time was credits, as they old saying went. She spent hours practicing smaller slices, so that she would be ready for the main event. But the plan went off without a hitch and Odessen was hers. And one day, it would be Maebry’s as well.

With the back of her hand, Sohnet hit Sohnar in the chest. “Fuck a moon. I want a planet. Akaavi’s got that slicer friend, right? She could totally get us a planet.”

“I technically don’t own the planet,” Lana said, shaking her head. “I have exclusive mining rights to a planet whose location I have completely erased from all known major star chart databases.” She tugged her armored jacket down, feeling a bit like she had lost control of the conversation. But that was par for the course with these two. “There is a difference.”

“You say so,” Sohnar said with a laugh. “Cause it sounds like you said you got yourself a planet for free.”

“Perhaps we could discuss why I invited you to my said planet?” Lana asked, clasping her hands behind her back.

“Right,” Sohnet said. She looked back at the ship. “Hylo, you’re up!”

Lana had heard of Hylo Visz, of course. She had been an acolyte on Korriban when the smuggler had broken the blockade. No one on Korriban could believe it at the time, but when the holonet showed them the truth and tales from the battles were told, they had no choice but to believe.

A third Mirialan emerged from the ship, younger than Lana expected, maybe within ten years of her own age, she would guess. But gone were the red highlights in her hair that Lana had seen in all the holonet photos. Hylo wore practical, easy to move in clothes, essential for a smuggler, Lana imagined. While she might not be a smuggler herself, Lana understood the value of such clothing and armor. The days of her wearing a skirt and a cape were long gone.

“Hylo Visz,” Hylo said, extending her hand as she walked up to the group. “A little bird tells me you can use a smuggler.”

“Don’t call us birds,” Sohnar said, crossing his arms over his chest. “We’re legit contacts now.”

Hylo rolled her eyes and looked at Lana. “They tell you how they know me?” she asked.

“They didn’t, no,” Lana said.

“Their mom was like a sister to me,” Hylo said, ruffling Sohnet’s hair. She grinned, and both Sohnar and Sohnet groaned. “I’ve known them since they were in diapers. They used to call me auntie.”

Lana wondered what it would be like to have a friendship with someone like that, be able to consider someone a brother or a sister. Theron was one of the closest friends she had at this point. But brother? Perhaps some day.

“Do you have to tell everyone we try to do business with that story?” Sohnet asked. She looked annoyed, but Lana could hear the warmth in the woman’s voice. “Makes us look like amateurs.”

“You’ve made plenty of a name for yourselves without me,” Hylo said with a smile. “But on to business. You’ve got a cantina in this joint?”

“We have the start of a cantina,” Lana said. The cantina would be one of the last things built, for good reason. Hollowing out the mountain was taking more time than expected, thanks to the need for secrecy. The fact that the hangar was stable enough to use was some sort of miraculous. But Praven was doing his best and Lana could ask for no more than that.

“As long as a start of a cantina has some alcohol, that’s enough for me,” Hylo said, shoving her hands in her pockets. “It’s always easier talking about business over a drink.”

#

“Theron?”

Lana had timed her request carefully. Not too late in the evening, but not too early, either. She wasn’t sure how her query would be received, so she took the extra step of bringing a cup of cafe plus an actual cooked meal from the small kitchen that had been set up.

Technically, the kitchen hadn’t been on the schedule to be completed yet. The limited workers that they had lived on rations and MREs. Praven had pressed her for more, but Lana wasn’t ready, not yet. The more workers on the planet, the more of a chance someone would slip up and say something, non-disclosure agreements be damned. Perhaps once Maebry was free, once they were truly in a position to fight back, then they could hire the workers needed to complete the base.

So while there might not be many workers, the ones here were willing to put in the work. Like cook in an unfinished kitchen for their co-workers. Once Lana realized they took turns manning the food station, she had arranged for Praven to bring in some more food stuff to the planet.

The logistics were a bloody nightmare, but having Hylo up and running helped a great deal. Shipments would go into Port Nowhere and then someone would fly the shipment out to Odessen. And if a little off the top was missing, Hylo had convinced Lana not to worry about it.

But even if the smugglers were skimming a bit, they were still working for the greater good. The workers here were paid well, with plenty of medical care, but they believed in fighting the Eternal Empire. And with people willing to go the extra mile - like making a warm meal for their co-workers - Lana was convinced they had the start of something special.

She walked into the cantina, where Theron had set up shop in one of the small private rooms. The day Praven would announce that the war room was open for business would be a happy day indeed.

Theron looked up as she entered the room and immediately eyed the food. “That looks like a bantha burger,” he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You don’t eat bantha burgers.” He dropped his holopad onto the table and gave her a grin. “Why are you trying to butter me up?”

Lana laughed. How could she not when he read through her attempt so easily? “When was that last time you ate?” she asked pointedly.

“Ration bar awhile back,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Don’t think I’m not noticing you ignoring my question, Beniko.” Lana set the cup and plate before him. “Cafe, too? What am I getting myself into?”

She sat down across from him and folded her hands in front of her. Around them, someone was playing background music from the holonet, something with a dance beat that Lana wouldn’t want to keep up with, even if she could. And she probably could. She wasn’t _that_ old, after all. “I’ve a favor to ask,” Lana said.

“Figured as much with the bribe,” Theron said, leaning back in his chair.

“It’s not a bribe,” Lana said, letting a hint of indignation enter her voice. She might be lying - the plate of food absolutely was a bribe - but Theron didn’t need to know that. “Not really.”

“The truth comes out. Hit me.”

“I’ve been thinking,” Lana said. “About after.”

Theron blew some air though his lips as he picked up the burger. “After covers a lot of ground. Want to get more specific for me?”

“After we rescue Maebry,” she said. “Things will be very different for her. The Jedi Order is all but gone. I still haven’t been able to find any of her crew other than-”

“You want help with that?” Theron asked, his mouth half-full. “One of her crew was Republic Army, right? There’s got to be a record of him somewhere. I can check with Jonas.”

Lana smiled. The conversation was already going better than she hoped. “Thank you. I’d appreciate that. I’ve heard rumors of Lord Scourge in Wild Space, but I don’t have anyone who could chase those at the moment. Eventually, I hope. The other two, I’ve no idea.”

“Any word from teeseven?”

“I get regular reports from it, believe it or not. It’s actually one of my best contacts. Teeseven’s currently on Yavin 4, but it’s going to start making the way to Odessen. I let it know to contact us if it gets in any trouble and needs a lift,” Lana said.

“Will be good to see that little droid again,” Theron said.

The burger was half gone at this point, which meant the perfect time to ask was now. “I had a thought. I’d like for there to be at least something familiar for Maebry, since everything will have changed,” Lana said. Part of her was quite annoyed with herself for the sentimental request. But at the same time, perhaps this would help Maebry through the worst of things. “Do you think you could poke around and try to find her ship?”

Theron stretched out his arms in front of him. “And now the burger makes sense,” he said with a chuckle. “Why the hell not? I can put out some feelers. Might be rough, though. It was a Jedi ship. Lot of those records are gone.”

“If it can’t be found, it can’t be found,” Lana said. “But I’d like to at least tell her that I tried.” She looked out to the main floor of the cantina, where workers were talking in a loud group. “I’d appreciate anything you could do.”

“Hey, if you think finding the ship will help, let’s find the ship,” Theron said, picking up his burger again.

There was one more thing she wanted to discuss, but it would be a matter of overcoming her pride. She didn’t have much of a choice, though. “I’ve lost my main contacts on Zakuul,” she said, hedging the truth slightly. Senya, technically was a contact on Zakuul, but for a reason Lana could not explain, she was loathed to reveal her to anyone. “Do you have a contact? Or does the Republic still?”

“Look at us, sharing contacts,” Theron said with a grin. “Yeah, I’ve got one. Pretty sure she gives out info to anyone who pays, so I’ll let you be the judge. I’ll send you her contact info.” He took a bite of burger. “After I finish eating.”

#

Digging her nails into her thighs, Lana took a breath, and forced herself to concentrate.

She reached out through the Force, looking for Maebry. Searching for that bright, clean light that represented her lover’s essence. But something felt off. Lana couldn’t quite explain it, but something felt wrong, somehow.

Could they have moved her? Would being in a different environment cause this change? No, Lana understood the Force, and a simple room change wouldn’t cause this difference. Even so, she made a note to check with Senya, perhaps see if the Knight could find out anything. Though thinking of Darmas Pollaran, Lana understood that such inquiries could have consequences. She could have to make sure that Senya moved very carefully.

Shaking her head, Lana decided to give up for now. Almost a half an hour of attempted meditation had led only to concern and anxiety, the exact opposite of what she hoped. She stood, her legs slightly shaking from kneeling for so long. Something on Zakuul had changed, and Lana didn’t like being in the dark.

What choice did she have? Her two contacts on Zakuul were gone. One dead in an unmarked grave of some sort, the other disappearing among people who she believed could protect her. Raina was safe with the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force. Thankfully, the young woman was willing to provide a bit of information on the Chiss. At least Lana managed to salvage something from that disaster.

Lana stretched her arms over her head, ignoring the slight twinge she felt in her back. As much as she tried to ignore the fact, she needed to accept that she no longer had the body of a twenty-year old. She was forty-one now, soon to be forty-two.

Her holocom beeped, a personal call. Already guessing who the person on the other end would be, Lana picked up the line. “Mother,” she said as her mother showed up on the comm.

_Lana,_ they said. Nala was sitting down for the call, holding a cane. It was hard, sometimes, seeing the physical proof of the fact that her mother was simply getting old. Eight-five now. An age that Lana could only dream about.

“Is everything alright?” Lana asked. While they spoke over the holo every few months, and exchanged brief messages more frequently, Lana still found herself with a slight sense of guilt that more than three years had passed since they saw each other in person. But that was to be expected. Nala wouldn’t leave the family business on Dromond Kaas and Lana couldn’t go back.

Security on Dromund Kaas was impressive. The days when she could slip onto the planet were long gone. Each and every ship and shuttle needed to have impeccable papers. And Lana was far more content staying under the radar. She had made no public appearances since Empress Acina’s coronation. Let the Imperial Empire think she disappeared for now. It would be that much more satisfying when the Alliance helped defeat Zakuul.

Nala nodded. _I just wanted to see my daughter,_ they said. _We usually speak every three months. Regularly enough I assume I_ _’m in your calendar?_

“Yes,” Lana admitted after a moment. Perhaps it seemed heartless, to schedule a conversation with her mother every few months. But her life was so busy and all consuming, that if she didn’t have the small reminder, she might go much longer between holocalls.

_This is going to sound harsh, but it_ _’s truly not meant to be that way. It means a great deal to me, Lana, that you even bother to take the time. I know how the Sith usually operate. That you’ve even kept me in your life means more than I can say._

There was no accusation in their tone, no scolding. Nala was sitting back in their chair, holding a cup of coffee in their hands. Lana could almost picture them sitting at the kitchen table, with the skyline of Dromund Kaas behind them. She wondered if she’d ever see her childhood home again.

Lana would be lying if she hadn’t thought about cutting all family ties after she left the Academy on Korriban. So many of her fellow acolytes did just that. Changing their appearance and their name. Cutting themselves off from anything that tied them down to the past. But Lana had decided to stay true to herself. So her blonde hair stayed and she kept away from armored masks that would have made her unrecognizable.

And she stayed in touch with her parents.

A warmth settled in the bottom of her stomach. Lana knew she had people who thought highly of her, maybe even cared for her. Those relationships tended to come with a cost. Theron, with their strange symbiotic friendship, both of them needing the other at this point. Koth, finding work for him and his crew. But her mother? Nala didn’t need anything from her. Didn’t expect anything from her. It was nice, more than nice, really, to know that someone in the galaxy thought of her and simply wanted to talk.

“And how are you?” Lana asked.

_I_ _’ll be getting a new hip,_ Nala said with a sigh. _But two weeks of physical therapy and I should be right as rain._

“Will you let me know how it goes?” Lana asked. She wouldn’t be able to really do anything from here on Odessen, but a few credits could anonymously find their way to a floral shop on Dromund Kaas, with instructions to deliver a bouquet. It would be better than doing nothing at all.

Lana’s comm beeped and she sighed, knowing something else had arisen that needed her attention.

_I know that look,_ Nala said. _Your father and I both wore that look for years. We_ _’ll talk later._

“Thank you, Mother,” Lana said. “Be well.”

Nala nodded before the comm went dead. Before answering the new call, Lana erased all records of the conversation with her mother. Like she had done with every conversation they’ve ever had since she was an acolyte.

One couldn’t be too careful.


	27. A Plan Appears

“So what if I said I had an idea?” Theron asked, leaning back in his chair at the conference table.

“It would truly depend on the sort of idea we’re talking about,” Lana said. Theron’s ideas tended to either be quite good or completely unfeasible. Somehow, after all of this time, he had yet to figure out how to find a balance of any sort.

“We talked about finding someone to bring on board to lead the tech division, right?”

Lana could hear the eagerness in his voice and hoped she wouldn’t have to dismiss his idea right away. “I do recall, yes,” she said. Ideally they would get someone in place as quickly as possible. She had tried a few contacts within the Empire, but none were willing to pick up and move to Odessen for the duration of the war, however long that lasted.

And that was part of the problem. Lana had absolutely no idea just how long this war could last. She had entered in scenario after scenario into her database, changing variables each time. Her results were laughable. One scenario showed the Alliance being crushed within a month after Maebry’s rescue. Another showed the downfall of the Zakuulan Empire within two years. The worst was the one predicted the war lasting forty years, with close to half the galaxy’s population being killed, before Zakuul triumphing in the end. Lana would do whatever she needed to do to make sure that specific scenario never came to light.

When her contacts asked _how long_ Lana truly didn’t even know what to tell them any more. The base, at least, was specifically being planned with the long-term in mind. Plenty of space for ships and for soldiers and workers. Though those berths and bunks went empty for now. But only for now.

“Okay, just hear me out,” Theron said. “You heard about Makeb and some of the drama there, right?”

Lana nodded. “Of course. I might not have been Minister of Sith Intelligence back then, but what happened was well known. My personal shuttle is retro-fitted with an Isotope-5 engine.”

“Wait, I thought the Republic had all of the Isotope-5,” he said, looking somewhat offended. He glanced down at teeseven, who was right next to Lana. The astromech had become her shadow since its arrival on Odessen and she could admit she didn’t quite mind. Having a physical connection to Maebry again, strengthened her, she found. “Did Master Maebry-”

_T7 = surprised as well // Lana = knew of supply?_

“Oh don’t act so surprised that the Empire was able to get their hands on some of the Isotope,” Lana said, holding back an annoyed sigh. Why did they need to look so disappointed? They both understoodd how the Empire worked. “The Empire is usually quite good at what it does, you know.”

“I’ll give you that one,” Theron said. “So there was this scientist there, Doctor Oggurobb. He might be the guy we’re looking for.”

In her head, she flipped through her various contacts, but found she couldn’t place the name. “That name almost sounds Huttish,” Lana said.

“Because he is.”

Praven, also sitting at the table, cleared his throat. “I’m afraid we don’t have the proper facilities for a Hutt,” he said, sounding almost apologetic.

Lana reached out her hand to Theron, who handed over his holopad without a word. She quickly scrolled through his credentials, which she could admit were quite impressive. Theron did his homework, including testimonials from projects the Hutt had managed, and even some results from non-classified projects. Of course, there was the biggest selling point, that she didn’t have a candidate of her own.

“Praven,” Lana said. “If the Alliance considered bringing a Hutt to Odessen, how much additional work would need to be done?”

“A fair amount, to be perfectly blunt. It would have been a great deal easier if we had planned for a Hutt from the very beginning. We’ll have to widen hallways and change our service elevators,” Praven said as he picked up his holopad. As he started making notes, he added, “A challenge, certainly, but my team will be up to the task. It will however, set back the base’s completion date.”

“Sounds like an okay price to pay for the right guy,” Theron said, taking back his holopad. “Lana?”

Her mind wandered a bit as she worked out a decision. Strange to think that at this moment, Theron and Praven and all the other department heads looked to her as the defacto leader of the Alliance. If things went as planned and they finally had the chance to rescue Maebry from carbonite, Lana would place Maebry in that role. Lana liked to think she wasn’t a jealous or selfish person, but a very tiny part of her brain wondered if she would resent Maebry down the road. She couldn’t ever imagine actually being upset with her lover, especially over something like this, but stranger things have happened.

The feelings simply made no sense. Lana’s never sought the spotlight. Ever. She would be much more confident as Maebry’s advisor. Yet Lana had her pride, which had been one of her main faults since she discovered the Force. Would anyone currently in the Alliance think less of her if she stepped aside to make room for Maebry? In the end, it didn’t matter. Lana’s job was to have the foundation of the Alliance ready for Maebry. And truth be told, the galaxy wouldn’t unite to follow Lana Beniko. They would unite for Master Maebry of the Jedi Order.

“I agree,” Lana said, keeping her voice crisp. “Surely a bit of a setback won’t be too much of a hardship on the crew.”

“Indeed not,” Praven said, not looking up from his holopad. “I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”

Hylo Visz, Bey’wan Aygo, Sana Rae, and now Doctor Oggurobb. Lana and Theron would keep up with their own spy networks. Once the building was complete, Praven would act as quartermaster and facilities manager. And Maebry would lead them all.

Someday.

Soon.

#

_Lana?_

“I’m here, Senya,” Lana said, keeping her voice low.

Enough progress had been made on Odessen that she now had a room to herself, off of the barracks. It was small and cramped but it had a door that closed and when she ran her privacy programs, Lana actually felt secure. Her room was tiny, though, compared to the room that Praven wanted to build for the head of the Alliance. Which one day would hopefully be Maebry.

She still hadn’t told anyone about having Senya as a contact. Impractical, no doubt, but truth be told, Lana worried about the reception. Whenever the truth did come out, Koth would be undoubtedly upset. Knowing Koth as she did, if she let it drop that Senya actually had taken it easy on him and his crew over the past few months, he would be even more angry. Some people weren’t born to be practical and Koth was one of them.

_Do remember last year, when there was to be a celebration of Arcann_ _’s reign?_

“I do, yes,” Lana said, thinking back to that first night she and Senya shared a bottle of wine. They’ve shared several bottles since, when meeting on Asylum. Senya was always discreet at those meetings, wearing down trodden clothes and a hood to obscure her face. It was practical. Asylum would be in chaos if they thought the Knights had found them. “Nothing ever came from that.”

Disappointing, as it could have been an excellent cover to rescue Maebry. However, Lana knew they weren’t ready then. The work on Odessen’s base had hardly begun and she had been still feeling out potential allies.

_Word_ _’s been officially given. They’ve decided to celebrate the fifth year anniversary. About four months from now. Planning has already very much begun._

Lana still, folding her hands in her lap and forced herself to take even breaths. The Alliance wasn’t quite ready, but give them four months? They could have a plan. They could have a solid plan. Hylo already was starting to look for contacts in the Zakuulan underworld. With enough planning, she and a small strike team could get Maebry out of her carbonite prison and have her join the galaxy again.

And then…

Lana pushed that thought away, the thought of what might become of the two of them after Maebry had her freedom. That would be for the two of them to decide. After they were safe.

“Please,” Lana said, hoping her voice didn’t sound too desperate. Just the fact that she said the word please should give Senya a clue at how badly Lana wanted the information. “Forward anything you can to me. Details, dates, plans. This could truly be our chance.”

_I_ _’ll send everything I can_ , Senya said with a curt nod. _I_ _’m trusting you, Lana. If this doesn’t work…_

“It will,” Lana said at once. “I have the right people and the right resources. More importantly, we know what to do when the Outlander is free.”

Then the Alliance truly would begin. Lana closed her eyes, just for a moment, enough to remember that hint of a future the planet showed her the first time she stepped on Odessen. Maebry would walk in these halls. And hopefully Lana would walk right besides her.

_Very well,_ Senya said. _Expect the first data burst this evening, Spire time._

Lana checked her holopad. It was ten in the morning in the Spire. After all this time with Senya as a contact, Lana had learned that evening for the Knight was after nine at night. Potentially twelve hours from now, which would be in the middle of Lana’s sleep cycle. Well, she had been woken up for information far less important than this.

“Thank you, Senya. Truly,” Lana said, bowing her head slightly. She wondered if Senya would understand the meaning. A Sith bowed their head for no one. Though as Lana has told many people in her life, she was no typical Sith.

_Thank me after you rescue the Outlander._

Senya disappeared from the comm and Lana deleted the record of the conversation. No doubt if they were actually able to pull this off and rescue Maebry? Lana would be happy to thank anyone willing to listen.

But first? They needed a plan.

#

At the incoming call, Lana sat up with a quick intake of breath. It was the middle of the night on Odessen and being woken up by a contact was not new to her. Still weary from sleep, she fumbled for her holocom and pressed a button, telling the caller that she would pick up in thirty seconds. If the call was important, the other party would wait. If not, they usually hung up, which wouldn’t bother her in the least.

Lana stood up and quickly put on her thick woolen robe, hoping the annoying chime counting down would end. It didn’t. Looking down at the holocom, she saw the ID, and tried not to go into an internal panic. Why, of all times, would they be calling _now?_

“Hello, Lana Beniko here,” she said, standing up as straight as possible, her hands behind her back. She had chosen a limited view, so Korin Zelka could only see her torso. There was no need for a member of the International Banking Clan to know that Lana choose to wearing fuzzy socks to bed. The floor was _cold._

“I assume it’s the middle of the night?” Zelka asked, pushing her glasses up her nose.

“It is, yes,” Lana said. The clan had access to the star charts and knew exactly where Odessen was located. What they didn’t know was that the planet had a twenty-two hour day and thanks to the base’s position on the planet, they would have almost exactly eleven hours of day and eleven hours of night year round.

“Hmm. The damn droid told me I would be calling you in the middle of breakfast. I’ll get our conversions updated,” Zelka said. Lana had to hold back a smile. The Ugnaught sounded as if the droid had personally offended her. “Apologies.”

“None needed,” Lana said, holding back a yawn. Just when was the last night she had a full night sleep anyway? Some days it felt like she might never get one again. “Now that I’m up, I’ll be able to get an early start to my day.”

Zelka let out of huff of a laugh. “An optimist?”

Lana shook her head. Being an optimist is hardly something she was ever accused of. “Hardly. Pragmatist.”

“Well, then you’ll understand why I’m calling to check in on you. Some time has passed since our initial investment and we’ve yet to see any returns,” Zelka said. Any warmth from the earlier banter was gone, leaving a woman with only one thing on her mind. Credits.

“I did advise you, when this whole thing began that this would be a slow process in the beginning. We’ve made a great deal of prog-”

“And you just took out a great deal more credits,” Zelka said, holding up her hand. “Explain.”

Trying not to be too annoyed, Lana gave a brief rundown of the need for additional credits to make the base Hutt friendly. It’s something she should have considered from the beginning. What if funding from the Clan dried up and appealing to the Hutt Cartel their only option? Lana didn’t want to think that could actually happen, but better be prepared. If that day did come, they’d have a base they could actually show a Hutt, even lounge chairs in the cantina.

The pinched look on Zelka’s face told Lana the banker wasn’t impressed with the Alliance’s reasoning. Time, perhaps, to try a different tactic. “I can’t provide details at the moment,” she said, keeping her voice low. “But something big is going to happen. And the International Banking Clan will be rewarded for its patience.”

Zelka’s expression did not change one bit. _Damnit_. Why did warfare have to be so expensive?

“I’ll be expecting weekly reports until the Clan is satisfied with your progress,” she said, sounding sterner than Lana thought an Ugnaught could sound. “Weekly. Understood?”

Lana nodded, ignoring the pressure building up in her chest. The International Banking Clan sat safe in their offices while the rest of the galaxy fought and bled for their freedom. And they wanted to tell Lana, a lord of the Sith, how to do their job? The moment the connection to this holocall ended, she would be letting out a burst of lightning; already she could feel the electricity in the tips of her fingertips. Hopefully the walls Praven built would be up to the challenge.

“Understood,” Lana said, her voice clipped. What was one more report when she already was downing in them?

Zelka disappeared from the comm and without hesitating, Lana threw out her hand, and lightning shot out of her fingertips. She kept the stream going until she felt slightly weakened. Perhaps she was being paranoid, but she wanted to be at full strength whenever she walked around the base. More people knew about the base than she liked, at least at this stage. She wouldn’t be surprised if word had gotten out to Sith Intelligence and the SIS. No doubt they would be trying to place their own spies in the Alliance’s ranks. It was what Lana would have done as Minister.

Continued background checks would be essential. If anyone had a remotely suspicious story, they wouldn’t be given Odessen’s location, simple as that. Hopefully that would be enough to protect them. For now, at least.

#

Two months.

Each day, each hour even, brought Lana closer and closer to Maebry. It was maddening to be so close and yet so far. She found herself practically counting the hours until it was time.

“I’d like to go over the plan once more,” Lana said. She purposely made no reaction as the heads of the various departments all seemed to inwardly sigh. Everyone except Sana Rae, of course. The Mystic was damn near unflappable, seemingly settling into her life here on Odessen far better than Lana expected. 

Admiral Aygo spoke first. “Have we gotten any new intel?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. At her shake of the head, he added, “Then I think we’ve got a pretty good idea of our roles.”

“Eh, humor the Sith paying our stipends,” Hylo said with a wink towards Lana. She appreciated the gesture, knowing that she wasn’t completely annoying everyone at the table. Or if she was, Hylo had the good sense not to let her know. “Never hurts to go over a plan. Though you remember the old saying…”

“Plans never survive contact with the enemy, anyway,” Aygo said.

“Exactly,” Hylo said. “So we’ll work on those contingency plans.” She leaned back in her chair, hands behind her head. “I’ve got a forger, working on some new papers for the strike team. I’m not sure if they’ll be needed, but in case orbital security decides to actually do their job because of the celebration, you’ll be ready.”

As of now, the strike team consisted of Lana, teeseven, Theron, and two former imperial block ops agents, chosen because they wouldn’t stand out in the crowd. Senya had sent Zakuulan clothing, baggy enough that light armor could be worn underneath without looking too suspicious.

If everything went according to plan - and Lana hated to admit it, but Aygo was probably right, things never went according to plan - they would make their move the evening after the first day of the celebration. Arcann and his entourage would be in one of the smaller Zakuulan cities on the southern hemisphere. After dark, when there were few guards around, they would make their way to the small shuttle where Maebry would be.

Take out the guards. Steal the shuttle. Then once safely out of orbit and on the way back to Odessen, free Maebry from carbonite.

A simple plan, but simple plans generally worked best. So many things could go wrong, though. Arcann could decide to take Maebry’s carbonite form into the hotel where he would be staying. Or there could be far more guards than the strike team could overcome. But what choice did they have? Storm the facility where Maebry was kept now? That would be suicide.

“Thank you, Hylo,” Lana said. She needed to stop and remember that she hired competent people who could do their jobs. Micromanaging would get her no where. “And thank you, all. I know this has been a stressful time. But truly, we’re close.”

So very close.


	28. Pragmatic Dreams

_Lana turned to her side to face Maebry, her breath still slightly uneven from their lovemaking. Maebry lay on her back, so Lana began to trace nonsense patterns lightly on her stomach. Out the window, she could see the garish bright lights of Nar Shaddaa. A perfect place for a Jedi and a Sith to have a liaison without anyone being the wiser._

_“You’re amazing,” Maebry said softly._

_In response, Lana kissed her temple. They would only have one night together. Lana had crafted an elaborate excuse on why the Minister of Sith Intelligence needed to go to Nar Shaddaa personally. If anyone discovered the truth, her career would be over. Right now, as she settled herself in Maebry_ _’s arms, she couldn’t find herself to care. Tomorrow, of course, she would be furious with herself for indulging in this. But that didn’t matter at this very moment._

_“Is it too cliche to reply in kind?” Lana said, keeping her voice low as to not break the magic in the room. “That you’re amazing as well?”_

_Maebry turned and propped herself up on an elbow._ _“Look at everything you’ve done,” she said. Lana closed her eyes as Maebry brushed some sweat-soaked hair to the side of her forehead. “Odessen? The Alliance? You’re going to save the galaxy from Zakuul.”_

_Lana_ _’s eyes opened. “It’s all for you,” she said, grasping Maebry’s hand. “I have to see you again.”_

_Some days she wasn_ _’t quite sure which was which. Was she saving the galaxy for Maebry? Or was she saving Maebry for the galaxy? The fact that Lana couldn’t say one way or another infuriated her. Perhaps it was both. A duality._

_Maebry smiled and Lana could see the sadness in her lover_ _’s eyes. “Dear heart?” she asking, hoping Maebry would confide in her._

_Maebry stood and walked to the window. Her naked body seemed almost illuminated from the neon lights outside._ _“I’d like to see you, too,” Maebry said. She turned back towards Lana. “But I’ll be dead before then.”_

_#_

Lana woke up in a panic, trying to get her bearings in the unfamiliar room. Her mind seemed to be all but attacking her, desperate to remember the dream she just had. Maebry. Maebry dying? That wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be possible.

She stood up and took a step, hitting her shin on the nightstand in the process. “Focus,” she said with all the command of a Sith, forcing herself to ignore the pain. “Focus, now.”

Asylum. She was on Asylum, in a small hotel room, to meet with Koth. He had a potential lead, another member of the Zakuulan military he wanted her to meet tomorrow. And she just had a dream. A terrifying dream if it were true.

Without bothering to turn on the lights, Lana sank to the floor, positioning herself on her knees. What she would give to be on Odessen right now, to be easily able to shift through the Force to find Maebry’s pulse. Instead she would war with the Dark that surrounded Asylum in order to reach Maebry’s Light.

Her eyes closed and she pictured Maebry. The dream… That night on Nar Shaddaa had been real, a week before Ziost’s destruction. But the words they spoke, those she did not remember. “Focus,” Lana said no louder than a whisper.

She reached out through the Force, focusing only on Maebry, on the love Lana carried in her heart for the Jedi. After more time than she liked, Lana brushed up against Maebry’s essence. And she immediately recoiled.

Something was wrong.

Something was very, very wrong.

Lana opened her eyes, reaching out to hold onto the mattress to steady herself. “Carbonite poisoning,” she said. That was the only possibility. Maebry’s body was frozen, no growths could form, nor cancers spread. The only thing that could go wrong was with the freezing process.

Senya had given her as many details about Arcann’s trophy room as she could. Doctors checked on the prisoners once a year, which means Maebry was most likely fine ten months ago. Could Maebry last another two months? In two little months, they would be rescuing her. But would they be in time?

Lana started to pace the small room, trying to figure out her options. Perhaps Senya could say she received a tip and that the carbonite prisoners needed to be checked. But that could change the whole schedule of the anniversary celebration which would ruin all of the Alliance’s careful planning.

More information was needed. Lana wasn’t one to rush off without all the facts in hand, she never was, and she doubted she ever will be. Maebry had changed her, but not that much. She pulled up the holonet and quickly searched for carbonite poisoning. The results were grim. Death within three months.

Death.

Her hands balled into fists. She had not spent the last five years rearranging the galaxy to only to discover that Maebry had died. It was impossible. Lana wouldn’t allow it. Decision made, Lana quickly packed up her small room and changed into her armor. She would go to Zakuul and take her chances.

She closed the door after stepping into the hallway and her eyes immediately went to Koth’s door. Her initial thought was to go by herself, with only HK-55 and teeseven, both waiting on her shuttle. But perhaps that was a bit hasty. Koth knew strategy and he knew Zakuul. He could help.

Lana sent him a message even as she was knocking on his door. Less than a minute passed before the door opened. Koth stood there, with no shirt on. His hair, which was usually pulled back, fell in his face. “Lana? The fuck is going on?”

“Let me in,” Lana said, pushing past him. Once she heard the door close, she added, “I’m going to Zakuul. The Outlander… Maebry. She’s dying. We have to get her out of the carbonite. _Now._ ”

Koth raised his eyebrows. “Whoa, slow down. What in star’s name are you talking about?”

“I had a dream. A vision, really. Maebry is dying. She’s almost dead now. I have to get to Zakuul and get her out.” Lana’s heart seemed to be racing a million miles a minute. She couldn’t lose Maebry. She _couldn_ _’t._ “I must leave. At once.”

“You want to storm Zakuul because you had a nightmare? Have you lost your damn mind?”

She all but recoiled at his words, and the disbelief she heard. Lana simply didn’t have the time to explain dreams and visions and the Force to him. Not when Maebry’s life was at stake. “Yes, now,” Lana said, far too quickly. “We need to get her out of carbonite.”

“We?”

Lana took a deep breath, very aware of what she was asking. Koth hadn’t been back to Zakuul since his departure from the military. And now she was asking him to go back. It would be dangerous. For both of them. Lana had lost her main contacts on Zakuul and she might even be on a watch list of some sort. Yet she was absolutely willing to take the chance if that meant Maebry would _live._ “We,” Lana said, trying to slow down, wanting to seem less panicked. “Come with me.” Then she added a word she hardly ever used. “Please.”

Koth ran his hand through his hair and Lana could tell he was actually considering her words. “I thought the Alliance had some sort of fancy plan to get her out.”

“We do, but it will be too late by then. She’ll be dead. I’m certain of it,” Lana said, trying not to seem impatient when all she wanted to do was get to the ship and leave. Five minutes ago would have been ideal.

“Shit,” Koth muttered under his breath. “Let’s take my ship. It’s got limited stealth, so we might actually have a chance to get through security.”

It would be impossible to describe the relief she felt at his words. While she would absolutely take this journey on her own, to have someone with her would make things all that much easier. Lana nodded, but then stopped. If his crew came along, that would be far too many people. “Your crew?”

“They’re all sleeping,” Koth said, picking up a shirt off the floor and throwing it on. “And this sounds like a mission where the fewer people the better. We’ll just have to make a pit stop here after we pick up the Outlander.”

“Thank you, Koth,” Lana said. The words weren’t enough to portray her gratitude at the moment, but they would have to do.

“Thank me if we actually pull this off.” Koth put his hands on his hips, looking around the room. “Tell you what, I’m gonna pack up a few supplies and I’ll meet you at the ship in ten.”

“Perfect,” Lana said.

Koth already was putting on his nightvision goggles. “Hope we don’t regret this.”

Regret would only come if she _didn_ _’t_ go. But there was no time to explain. Without another word, she slipped out the door. As she started walking towards the main hangar, she sent messages to teeseven and HK-55. She could use both droid’s help for this mission, she was sure of it.

Once she made it to the hanger, Lana didn’t go to Koth’s ship, but her own. Inside, she went straight to the medical bay, grabbing kolto and most important, a cure for carbonite poisoning. Hopefully it would be enough until they could get Maebry into a proper medical facility.

As much as she wanted to, Lana tried not to think of Maebry too much. Such as the fact that tomorrow, she might actually see her lover in person, awake and whole. But wandering down that path was foolish and could lead to sentimental mistakes.

Lana was no fool.

While she was not proficient in stealthing herself with the Force, Lana did know the basics of using a stealth generator, and that could be of use. This was as much as she’d be able to prepare. They could plan on the way to Zakuul.

_Maebry, hold on._

#

Lana expected more words from Koth, telling her how crazy he thought his was or something similar. But to her surprise, when she entered his ship, Koth had a holomap of the Spire up. HK-55 and teeseven stood in the ops center, HK holding its rifle out in front, as if it was ready to shoot targets now.

While Koth worked his way through the take-off procedures, Lana went to the cargo bay, a place she could have conversations without worrying about him overhearing. Her first call was the very most important; it could make or break the entire mission.

She called Senya.

The Knight answered almost at once. _Lana? Something_ _’s wrong, isn’t it? I can sense your uneasiness from here._

“Very wrong, Senya,” Lana said, even as she relaxed slightly. Just speaking to Senya, know she managed to reach her, helped a great deal. “Is there any hope that you’re on Zakuul right now and not off on a mission?”

_I arrived this morning. I_ _’m in the Spire. Why?_

Lana quickly briefed Senya on what had happened. “You said you could access patrol routes around his trophy room. I’ll never be able to make it through without them,” she said. Lana didn’t doubt her own abilities. She could easily take a Knight, even two, and maybe under the right circumstances, three Knights at the same time. But not if she was nursing Maebry coming out of carbonite.

Because that was the only way this would work, Lana realized. There was absolutely no way to bring the carbonite block to the ship. But she could bring Maebry back to the ship. She could hold Maebry’s hand as they escaped Zakuul. Lana pushed the thought away. This was absolutely not the time.

_Sending them now. These will be accurate for the next three days._

“Thank you, Senya. Truly. Now, I’m going to allow you to track me,” Lana said, wondering if Senya would understand just how much trust she was putting in the Knight. But at the same time, she was asking so much of Senya, it almost wasn’t fair. She was asking Senya to fully commit to the Alliance, to turn her back on the Knights of Zakuul. A little trust was nothing compared to that. “It will kick in once I land on Zakuul. Will you help?”

Senya nodded. _I will. When you call, I will answer._ _I only hope your Outlander is worth this._

Lana wanted to answer that Maebry was worth it, worth everything. But that would waste too much time. “Thank you,” she said instead, keeping her voice professional for now. If they lived through this, they could share another bottle of wine and be amazed at their own audacity. She could introduce Senya to Maebry.

If they lived through this.

Senya ended the call and Lana wasted no time in starting another one. “Theron.”

_Lana?_ Theron asked, rubbing his eyes. He looked to be relaxing for the night, with no shoes and no sign of his jacket. _Isn_ _’t it the middle of the night on Asylum?_

“It is,” she said and filled Theron in on what had happened. Quickly.

_Shit,_ Theron said as she finished. Already she could see him moving, putting on his socks. _I_ _’m at Port Nowhere, it’ll be five days before I can get to Zakuul. What do you need?_

Lana’s heart clenched, the good sort of clench, that Theron, _her friend_ , was willing to come to her aid without question. They might have started on opposite sides of a war, but even with everything that had happened between them, those lines had blurred, and all but disappeared. “Thank you, Theron. Just start heading to Odessen. Once this happens, things will be moving very quickly.”

_Well, I wouldn_ _’t want to miss all the fun, not when it’s just getting started._

“We can’t have that, can we?” Lana said. Time grew short and she and Koth needed time to plan. “I’ll be in touch, Theron. After.”

Theron nodded as he put on his jacket. Just as Lana was about to end the call, he said, _Just don_ _’t die on me, okay, Beniko?_

“I’ll do my best.”

#

If Lana ruled Zakuul, the first thing she would do is shore up orbital security. The fact that she and Koth so easily made it through the checkpoints was, frankly, a bit ludicrous. However, the lack of security currently worked in her favor, so she wouldn’t complain too much.

She reached out with the Force, trying to find Maebry’s essence. Maebry was weak, weak enough that Lana was _frightened_. She coiled up her fear, her anger at the galaxy, and let it simmer in her blood, ready to be released when the time was right.

With Koth and HK-55 on the ship, teeseven by her side, Lana almost felt ready. But she had one more thing to do. Kneeling down to be at teeseven’s height, she asked, “Are you sure you want to stay behind? You’ve searched for Maebry for so long.”

They had agreed that teeseven would stay on Zakuul, planting as many false security alerts as it could, giving Lana and Maebry precious time to escape.

_T7 = serve Lana and Maebry // Lana = protect Maebry now_

“You don’t serve us, teeseven,” Lana said, putting her hand on the droid’s casing. “You help us. There’s a big difference.”

Teeseven spun around once. _T7 + Lana = rescue Maebry // Maebry + Alliance = rescue galaxy_

“I couldn’t have put it better myself,” Lana said as she stood up.

Her eyes didn’t leave the patrol map that Senya had sent her. While teeseven wouldn’t be all that noticeable in the complex, Lana would be. She would have to tread carefully and use stealth when needed. Of course, once Maebry was free from carbonite, the generator wasn’t big enough for the two of them. She would simply have to hope that Maebry was in some sort of condition to fight using the Force.

Lana stood at the back entrance, waiting for one of the afternoon patrols. Any moment now… There! The door split apart and she was inside, the guards none the wise. Truly, the security on Zakuul was either the height of arrogance or the height of negligence. She suspected the former.

Her heart started to speed up as she slowly made her way throw the twists and turns of the corridors. Whenever she needed to stop for a nearby patrol, Lana’s mind started to wander. What would she say to Maebery? What could she possibly say that would make up for the last five years? She tried to think of phrases or words that could give Maebry an idea of just how much she cared. But that would have to wait. Actually making it to the room was far more important than what would come after.

They turned a corner and Lana had to keep herself from shouting out in triumph. There. There was the room where Maebry had been imprisoned for the last five years. Lana was closer to Maebry now than she had been in all that time and her heart practically wanted to sing.

But there was work to be done. Oh there was always work to be done.

Lana waited for a patrol, then crossed the hall. Her eyes immediately went to a pair of twin sabers mounted on the wall. Maebry’s lightsabers. She was sure of it. The simplicity and the elegance of the sabers had stood out in her mind the first time she saw them. This was better luck than she hoped, if Lana was able to return something so personal to Maebry right out of carbonite. And if Maebry actually had the strength to use them? They might actually make it off Zakuul.

Pocketing the lightsabers, Lana closed her eyes and steadied her breath. She came out of stealth and palmed the door console. It was unlocked, like all of the other doors in this complex. Lana stepped inside and there she was.

Maebry.

Her carbonite form hung slightly off the floor in the center of the room. Lana forced herself not to run, not to cause any sort of commotion. Instead she concentrated on the carbonite block in front of her. She could see the coiled tendrils of Maebry’s hair. The hem of her robe. From the look of it, Maebry must not have put up any sort of fight when they froze her. What exactly had they done to her?

Without hesitating, Lana took out the medical syringe, the one that would hopefully save Maebry’s life. She slammed the unfreeze button, putting in all her fears, all her anger, and all her hope and love, too.

Her mind reeled as the process started, as the carbonite slowly melted away, revealing Maebry’s face. Maebry’s eyes fluttered open and Lana thought her heart might burst from happiness. Her love was _alive._

Maebry fell to the ground, coughing, but more importantly _breathing_. Their eyes met, and Lana was ready to take on the entire galaxy. Words crossed her mind, and Lana couldn’t quite figure out the right thing to say. She pushed the idea of flowery language and declarations aside. Lana, at her heart, was not a romantic. She was a realist.

Taking Maebry’s hand, Lana said the words that would start them on their next adventure.

“Wake up. We have to go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh! We're almost done! Only an epilogue to go after this chapter. Thank you all so much for reading!


	29. Epilogue

One kiss seemed to break down the barrier between them.

Lana let herself be pushed up against the wall of the private cantina room, moaning into Maebry’s mouth as they kissed. Oh, she knew they should go back into the cantina, mingle and talk, raise the moral, so to speak. That’s why Lana organized the party in the first place. But right now, she couldn’t think about anything except Maebry and how it felt to have their bodies pressed up against each other.

“How long do you think we can stay in here?” Maebry asked between kisses.

Lana laughed, a low, throaty laugh. “Not long, unfortunately,” she said, resting her hand on Maebry’s ass. “We wouldn’t want to appear rude.”

“You’re right,” Maebry said, kissing her again, hard on the lips. She took a step away and Lana couldn’t help but notice when she winced, her hand covering her lightsaber wound.

“Dear heart?” Lana asked. She stood behind Maebry, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. Only a week had passed since Maebry had been impaled by Emperor Arcann’s lightsaber, leading to the longest forty-eight hours of Lana’s life.

She was so sure was going to lose her lover, just as she got her back. But whatever Valkorian did - and oh, did it incense Lana to be beholden to that monster - kept Maebry alive, just long enough to get her into a kolto tank. And now they were on Odessen. Together. Safe. Actually having Maebry here in person was better than any of the dreams Lana had over the past five years.

“I’m fine,” Maebry said in a voice Lana wasn’t sure if she should trust. When Maebry stepped out of her embrace, Lana raised an eyebrow, challenging her. “Okay, a little sore. But just a little.” She leaned forward and whispered in Lana’s ear, “Just remember to be gentle later when we’re in bed.”

Heat rushed to Lana’s cheeks and she suddenly became acutely aware that almost five years - _five years -_ had passed since they were last together on Nar Shaddaa. Wanting to keep with the mood, Lana slide her finger across Maebry’s jaw. “You know I can be very gentle when I’m properly motivated,” she said quietly.

And then their lips were together again.

When they finally broke apart, Maebry still had her hands on Lana’s waist. “Motivated enough yet?”

Lana squeezed Maebry’s hand. “It’s a start,” she said. She turned to look at the door, where reality waited. “What do you think? One drink? Then we cite a very early morning for our getaway?”

“You always come up with a plan,” Maebry said, intertwining their fingers together.

They walked to the door, then dropped hands as they went back into the cantina, reality setting in. Theron and Koth were talking at the bar while Koth’s crew were being rambunctious in the background. The only way this could be better was if Senya was here. Lana understood why the Knight stayed away, but she missed her friend. Hopefully they would be able to share a bottle of wine soon. This time with Maebry.

While it might not have been too long, it seemed like ages had passed before Maebry and Lana were able to say their goodbyes. Finally, they were able to walk out of the cantina and Lana ached to hold Maebry’s hand. But decisions needed to be made first.

The night air was crisp, enough to make Lana glad her armor would take the sting out of the chill. They lingered on the outskirts of the base. To the left of them, was the war room where work would undoubtedly wait. To the right, an alcove Praven envisioned to use as a staging area, for the day when the Alliance needed to expand even further. If the past week was any indication, that day would be more quickly than any of them dreamed.

It seemed most of the galaxy wanted to fight behind the Outlander’s banner.

“Follow me,” Maebry said and there was a smile in her voice.

What else could Lana do but follow? She would follow Maebry to the edge of the known universe. These past five years have proved that. “Where are we going?” Lana asked as they turned right, into the tunnel.

“My room is too far and I need to kiss you,” Maebry said as they stepped into a small alcove.

With no one around them, they kissed, oh did they kiss. They kissed until she could hardly take any more, wanting to be somewhere with a locked door where they could feel skin on skin. She mentally cursed Praven and the design of the base, which had the entrance to the Commander’s room in plain sight. If Lana had realized that was to be Maebry’s room, she would have insisted on a little discretion.

“Should we-” Lana’s question was cut off by a kiss. “Maebry, darling, we need to make some decisions.”

“You know, you hardly ever call me by my name,” Maebry said, brushing Lana’s jawline with a knuckle.

“A sign of respect, if you must know,” Lana said, even as she cupped Maebry’s ass. “In private, I’ll happily call you by your name, but not in public.”

The look on Maebry’s face told Lana that she didn’t quite understand. Lana wanted to lead by example, especially for the former Imperial Alliance members. Tomorrow the Alliance would officially name Maebry its leader, though Maebry herself wasn’t aware of that yet. Let them have one night together before the reality of the galaxy around them began to overwhelm.

“So what decisions do we need to make?” Maebry said as she moved to lean against the wall, right next to Lana. Their fingers entwined at once, and Lana again wondered at her luck, how everything could have gone so wrong during the rescue attempt, yet still they managed to make it to Odessen safe.

Destiny, she told Maebry. Something she never truly believed in before. But after everything that had happened, how can Lana doubt? Maebry should be dead, but thanks to five years of hard work, she was alive, holding Lana’s hand.

Lana brought Maebry’s hand to her lips. “I suppose I’d like to know how public our relationship will be,” she said. “I know on Yavin 4 and Ziost, we were discrete for a number of reasons…” She trailed off, wondering how to exactly express what she wanted.

“Like me being a Jedi and you being a Sith,” Maebry said, amusement in her voice.

“Essentially, yes,” Lana admitted. “But now I worry…”

Maebry turned to her side and Lana mirrored, so they were facing each other. Their arms went around each other at once and Lana closed her eyes. “There’s always something to worry about with you, isn’t there?” Maebry said.

Lana let out a chuckle besides herself. How well Maebry knew her, even after all these years. “Occupational hazard of being a pragmatist,” she said, caressing Maebry’s cheek. “We’re both in leadership positions within the Alliance. I worry-”

“What? That’ll we’ll set a bad example?” Maebry asked. At Lana’s nod, she added, “How are two people in love, working together for each other and for the galaxy, a bad example?”

Maebry’s words made Lana’s heart want to sing. “You’re in love with me?” Lana asked, hoping she didn’t sound to incredulous. Thanks to the Force, she suspected, but she didn’t want to assume. And to finally hear those words after so many years, meant everything.

“Of course I am. How could I not be? You’re you,” Maebry said, resting her brow against Lana’s. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Lana answered at once, wondering how her heart would be able to hold this much happiness. She would find a way. They would find a way. But first they must focus on what’s in front of them. “I suppose it wouldn’t be too much of a bad example.”

“Look, I don’t want to keep secrets. Maybe if I was still a Jedi, I’d want to stay discrete,” Maebry said. “But I’m not a Jedi. Not anymore. And I’m pretty sure you’re not a Sith. “But that’s what I want. What do you want?”

Lana thought about that question and how she had so many different answers depending on who asked her the question. But from Maebry, the answer was simple. She tightened her arms around Maebry’s waist. “I’ve got exactly what I want.”

“But? There’s always a but.”

Very true words. Everything came at a cost. The Alliance had started to thrive and with that, the International Banking Clan wanted to start seeing some returns on their investments. Lana was almost positive that at least one or two recruits were spies for the clan. Once word of the Alliance became more widely known across the galaxy, more would send spies to watch their progress. The Imperial Empire, surely. The Republic. Even the Overwatch on Zakuul, if they were smart, would send people.

It would be hard to know who to trust soon, except for the people in their inner circle.

All of that was dwarfed, though, by the potential issue of the reality of Maebry’s mind.

“Valkorian,” Lana whispered. “Please don’t use his power again.” She would beg, if she had to, and Lana had never begged for anything in her life. But she had not come so far, sacrificed so much, only to lose Maebry to the very man they were fighting against.

“Your life was in danger,” Maebry said, her voice almost pleading. “That was the… I couldn’t… I couldn’t let you die. Not when I just got you back.”

Lana leaned forward, resting her brow against Maebry’s. “One life is not more important than stopping Zakuul,” she said, already knowing that her argument was weak. She wished she could explain things properly to Maebry, how terrifying it was to feel Vitiate’s power radiate off of her, even for just a few seconds. For a Jedi who once recoiled at being called the Emperor’s puppet, to see her embrace that power was more than a little disconcerting.

“Says the woman who spent five years searching for me. I’m one life,” Maebry said softly. “If it helps, I don’t even plan on using it again. It simply didn’t feel right.”

_Good_ , Lana thought to herself. It would worry her greatly if Maebry thought anything different. For now, Lana would just have to hope that by using Valkorian’s power, it didn’t give him any more of a foothold in Maebry’s mind.

Maebry’s arms tightened around her and their lips brushed together. “Thank you,” Lana said.

“Doesn’t answer my question, though,” Maebry said, leaning forward and kissing Lana’s neck. Stars, her lips were soft. “How do you want to handle us in public?”

Lana looked away, placing the palm her hand on the back of Maebry’s neck. “I’m very private, you know this,” she said. Part of her wanted to celebrate that she had Maebry back, shout from the rooftops. But the other part scoffed at showing a hint of emotion in public. “However, I will never lie about our relationship and like you, I wish not to keep secrets. I’ve dealt with too many in my life. Transparency would be welcomed.”

“So no makeout sessions in the middle of the war room,” Maebry said with a laugh. Lana was certain she would never get tired of hearing her laughter. “Got it.”

“Well,” Lana said, squeezing Maebry’s ass. “Let’s just say I wouldn’t be opposed to a cuddle if no one is around.”

Maebry’s face lit up, looking absolutely delighted. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

Lana brought Maebry in even closer, so their bodies were flushed together. “I hope you do.”

They kissed, soft and slow, and when Maebry placed her hand on her cheek, Lana turned into her touch. Maebry’s thumb brushed some of the crow lines around Lana’s eyes, reminding Lana just how much time had passed. They met when Lana was thirty-seven and already Lana was older by well more than a decade. Now five years had passed, with Lana growing older every year and Maebry standing still, not aging a day,

Right now, though, their difference in age didn’t seem to bother Maebry, so Lana pushed the thoughts to the side.

“Would you feel comfortable staying the night in my quarters?” Maebry asked. “Someone had the foresight to put in a pretty big bed, not like those small bunks the rest of you get.”

“I’m sure it will cause some talk, but yes,” Lana said, thinking of the rumors that would start, especially after Maebry was named Commander of the Alliance tomorrow. Let them come. It would give the members of the Alliance something to talk about. Maybe even be a morale builder in the long run. “I would prefer not to be separated from you, as long as we can.”

“I like the sound of that,” Maebry said, standing up straight. “Maybe you could start staying the night right now.”

Her voice was low and full of promise. Promise that Lana felt deep in her core. “That sounds absolutely lovely,” Lana said. And it did. To be able to fall into bed in a quiet room with a locked door? That sounded like absolute perfection. But they had time for that. “I’d like to show you something first.”

Maebry raised an eyebrow. “Well, color me curious,” she said, holding out her hand.

Lana didn’t hesitate and put her hand into Maebry’s. When they walked out of the corridor, into the open air, Lana tensed up only slightly before forcing herself to relax. If someone saw her and Maebry holding hands late at night, it wouldn’t be the end of the galaxy.

“Where are we going?” Maebry asked as the entered the elevator to the Alliance base. “This is the way to my quarters you know.”

“The base is full of twists and turns, if you haven’t noticed. There are lots of places to go,” Lana said, squeezing Maebry’s hand. “And where we’re going is my favorite place on Odessen.”

Only one person tried to stop them on the way to the hangar bay. And that poor unfortunate aide instantly regretted it, as both Lana and Maebry snapped at him at the exact same time, in almost the exact same voice. Once the aide was safely out of hearing distance, even Lana let herself laugh at the situation. She and Maebry were safe on Odessen and the Alliance was flourishing. She deserved her laughter. After five years of hardship, it had been _earned._

Thankfully, the hangar bay was mostly deserted this time of night, with only a few workers. Deserted enough for Lana to feel comfortable taking Maebry’s hand again in hers. Maebry promptly squeezed back, and they crossed the bay, leading to the big open hangar doors.

Lana led Maebry just outside the doors, on top of the rocky terrain. From here, one could see the entire valley below, including some new construction. The Alliance was ambitious and just getting started.

“It’s beautiful,” Maerby said as looked at the valley. Her eyes closed. “I can understand why you were drawn to this world.”

“The first time I came to Odessen, the planet spoke to me,” Lana said, remembering that pure feeling of the Force she felt as she stepped off the shuttle. She hadn’t felt that perfect balance since that time; something on the planet had changed, but not enough for Lana to worry. Enough called to her attention as it was. If she felt the need to chase after ghosts, she would never get any work done. “I saw you. A vision, almost as real as you are right now. That’s how I knew. Knew that somehow, the Alliance would rescue you.”

“I used to think Force visions were bunk,” Maebry said quietly. “But then a fellow Knight saw me working for the Sith Emperor and two days later, I fell. How could I not believe after that? If you say I’ll walk down there some day, I will.”

Lana leaned forward and kissed her. How she still reveled in the fact that she could. Five years of waiting and _wanting_ and now Maebry was in her arms. “I’ll be right there next to you, if you’ll let me.”

“Always,” Maebry said.

Lana’s heart sang at the word as she put her arm around Maebry’s shoulders. Then together, they looked out over Odessen and watched the stars come out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it’s complete! Thank you to everyone who stuck with this fic in the more than a year and a half I’ve been writing. Your support has meant the world to me. Feel free to leave a comment. I would love to know what you think!


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